A 27-year-old man facing kidnapping charges cut a lonely figure in the dock this morning as the Lady Frere magistrate’s court heard that his two co-accused had died earlier today.
The three faced charges linked to the disappearance of 20-year-old Asanda Stimela from Vaalbank.
Sibusiso Mbesi was making his second appearance after his bail hearing was postponed from Wednesday to today so he could appear with his co-accused.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the seating was delayed after the prosecutor, Sandiswa Mdyeshana, told magistrate Felicia Spungenberg that Mbesi’s co-accused would no longer stand trial as they had died this morning.
Read the full story in the next issue of The Rep.