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IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Colonel Mathipa's murder: 12 SANDF Special Task Force soldiers released on bail
When Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa was shot dead in 2023, he was probing allegations that members of the SANDF Special Forces had abducted an Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS leader from the Mall of Africa. Image: SAPS The Randburg Magistrates' Court in Joburg has released 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members on bail, after they were on several charges, including murder of a police officer. Last week, IOL reported that the bail application had been postponed to allow for the verification of their residential addresses. The 12 accused soldiers face multiple serious charges, including three counts of murder, kidnapping, fraud, obstruction of justice, perjury, and theft of a motor vehicle. The charges stem from the alleged kidnapping of Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS funder, Abdella Hussain Abadiga and his bodyguard Kadir Jemal Abotese on 29 December 2022 at Mall of Africa in Midrand. Previously, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng regional spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said the victims were reportedly abducted from the Midrand mall and taken to the Zwartkop Military Base, and their whereabouts remain unknown. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ CCTV footage submitted to the High Court in Johannesburg shows Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS funder Abdella Hussein Abadiga and his bodyguard Kadir Jemal Abotese inside Mall of Africa before they vanished on 29 December 2022. Image: Abdurahim Hussein Abadiga 'The accused are also linked to the assassination of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, a Hawks officer investigating the kidnapping. Mathipa was fatally shot on 6 August 2023 on the N1 Highway by individuals reportedly driving a SANDF vehicle,' said Mjonondwane. During the court proceedings last week, the defence submitted affidavits in which the accused deny any involvement in the incidents. A statement from their commanding officer was also submitted in support of the bail application. Mjonondwane said the NPA views the matter in a serious light, given the nature of the charges and the potential threat to the administration of justice. The accused SANDF members were arrested in June. IOL previously reported that some of the soldiers were arrested at different places, including the OR Tambo International Airport and Centurion in Tshwane. Following the arrests, spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo, stated that the arrests were carried out by members of the Johannesburg-based Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the headquarters' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, and the Tactical Operations Management Section (Toms). 'The arrests are linked to the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6, 2023. Following the shooting, his vehicle lost control and veered into a ditch,' Singo said. Mathipa, who was attached to the Hawks' Crimes Against the State Unit within the Serious Organised Crime Investigation in Gauteng, was on duty conducting an investigation at the time of his death. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News
The Herald
02-07-2025
- The Herald
12 SANDF members in Hawks murder case claim state evidence is weak
The 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members arrested in connection with the murder of Hawks officer Lt-Col Frans Mathipa are adamant that the prospects of being acquitted are high. They appeared in the Randburg magistrate's court on Tuesday for a bail application. The two defence lawyers read their affidavits regarding their personal circumstances and their involvement in the case. Most of them stated that they did not believe the state had a solid case against them and that the prospects of a successful prosecution were 'very slim'. Some of them stated that they were about to carry out a sensitive operation before they were arrested. They are facing three counts of murder. They also face counts of kidnapping, fraud, obstructing the administration of justice, making false statements under oath and theft of a motor vehicle. The court ordered that their photographs and names should not be published due to a security risk and an outstanding identity parade, which was yet to be conducted. The charges stem from the alleged kidnapping of Abdella Hussain Abadiga and Kadir Jemal Abotese at the Mall of Africa on December 29 2022. Their whereabouts remain unknown. The accused are charged with the murders of Abadiga and Abotese. Soldiers argued in their affidavits that during the day of the incident, they were conducting a military exercise when the offences of kidnapping and murder were committed. One of the soldiers was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport. The court heard the member was arrested during his arrival from training. 'I have no knowledge of the alleged deceased. The warrant of arrest didn't contain a charge of murder,' testified one of the soldiers in an affidavit read in court. 'Merits of the matter will be determined later during the trial, should it be held. I submit that the state case is not solid against me ... I opted to play the open cards. 'I have no knowledge of those counts. The charges referred to under these counts are brought with an ulterior motive,' testified another in an affidavit read in court, referring to some of the counts he was facing. According to the charge sheet, Mathipa, who was tasked with investigating the kidnapping and murders of Abadiga and Abotese, and investigating the involvement of the SANDF members, was killed near the N1 highway in Hammanskraal. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the matter was postponed until Thursday to allow the investigating officer to verify some of the addresses that were presented by the accused on their bail applications. ' We will be guided by the investigation process. For now, we would not be in a position to comment much about what will unfold in the case, as investigations are ongoing but safe to say that this prosecution forms part of our broader mandate to deal decisively with organised crime, and also by ensuring that the perpetrators of such crimes are brought to book. 'They come and face justice, as has been the case in this case that is before the court. All accused are subjected to a judicial process, one that will become transparent so that all of society can have their questions answered,' she said. She said the state was yet to present the evidence of the investigating officer by way of an affidavit that will be presented in court. TimesLIVE
