Home affairs official charged
2005-09-07 13:01
Riot Hlatshwayo and Zenzele Kuhlase
Nelspruit - A home affairs official accused of killing a man who applied for an ID book appeared briefly in the Nelspruit circuit of the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
Elliot Jomo Maseko, 47, bowed deeply and said "thank you, my Lord" each time Judge Roger Claasens said something to him.
He was not asked to plead to murder and the matter was postponed to February next year for a three-day trial that would start on February 8.
His bail of R1 000 was extended.
He was accused of shooting and killing 23-year-old David Mkhonto at the home affairs offices in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, on the morning of December 1 2003.
He allegedly accused Mkhonto of being an illegal Mozambican when he applied for his ID book and ordered him to leave the office.
When Mkhonto insisted he was South African, Maseko allegedly said he was tired of being argued with. Two shots were fired into the air before Mkhonto was shot in the neck.
Maseko was arrested and charged with murder after driving to the local police station and surrendering himself to the police.
- African Eye