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- A Mpumalanga MEC charged with murder and two attempted murder charges was acquitted in a separate attempted murder case just three months ago.
- Monica Nyuswa of the National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga said Mandla Msibi was acquitted after the court found that the evidence of two State witnesses was not credible.
- Msibi handed himself over to the police on Monday.
A Mpumalanga MEC who is facing a murder charge and two attempted murder charges, had previously been charged with attempted murder and was only acquitted three months ago.
According to the Monica Nyuswa of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Mpumalanga, Mandla Msibi was acquitted of attempted murder in July 2021 after the court found that the evidence of two State witnesses was not credible.
It is alleged that just a month after his acquittal, Msibi - the Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs MEC - was involved in an incident in which two men were shot dead and a third was wounded.
Msibi handed himself over to the police on Monday and is expected to appear in court on Tuesday. His two alleged accomplices are out on bail.
Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane says that she will await the official court appearance of the MEC arrested on murder charges and thereafter "take action". | @CannyMaphanga https://t.co/5CAmXLGEaN
— News24 (@News24) October 11, 2021
According to the police, the incident happened on 22 August in Nelspruit.
Colonel Donald Mdhluli said at the time that three men in a VW Polo were ambushed at around 21:00 by armed suspects in a blue double-cab bakkie.
Shots were fired, killing two men and injuring the third.
"The suspects reportedly fled the scene after the incident," Mdhluli said.
READ HERE | Ramaphosa calls for murder-accused Mpumalanga MEC Mandla Msibi to step aside - report
Nelspruit police and paramedics were summoned to the scene where the two men were certified dead.
"A preliminary probe by the SAPS members has since revealed that there was a shooting incident earlier that night at about 19:30, next to a hospitality facility around Nelspruit.
"About three occupants were in a VW Polo when suspects opened fire on them whilst they were inside the vehicle. No one was reportedly injured during that incident. It is further reported that the victims then went to Nelspruit police station to open a case, accompanied by their friends, where it is alleged that amongst them, were the two men that were fatally shot as well as one who sustained injuries," Mdhluli said.
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