Mangaung prison warders accused of inmate murder granted bail

Mangaung Correctional Centre.

2 minutes

The four Mangaung Correctional Centre warders accused of the assault and murder of inmate Mpho Mkhumbeni have been released on bail. This after the accused Mojalefa Maarman, Cedric Motshabi, Lebogang Martins and Boitumelo Mooi all submitted that, among others, they are not a flight risk and will not tamper with state witnesses.

Three of the four men, with the exception of Boitumelo Mooi stated they intended to plead not guilty. The state did not oppose their bail application.

Presiding over the matter, Magistrate Ephraim Sebe states that the court was satisfied with the reasons submitted by the accused. The matter has been postponed to the 10th of June for further investigations.

“Under the said circumstances, the bail application of the applicants before the court hereby succeeds. bail at the amount of thousand rands each is granted from the following condition: the accused must not make contact with the state witnesses, namely, 1. Thebe Serobe, 2. Ofentse Kgopane, 3. Nhlanhla Kubheka, either directly or indirectly, until this matter is finalised. The second condition is that the accused must attend each and every adjournment of this matter until it comes to finality,” Sebe explains.

[DEATH OF INMATE MPHO MKHUMBENI AT MANGAUNG CORRECTIONAL CENTRE]@DCS_ZA pic.twitter.com/8BYayTvHIC

— South African Justice, Crime Prevention & Security (@RSA_JCPS) April 16, 2025