Accused number one, Sekwetje Mahlamba (32), and co-accused, Sekola Matlaletsa (44), will have to re-appear before the Senekal Magistrate's Court on 22 January after their case was postponed on Tuesday due to outstanding forensic results. The pair stands accused of murdering the 21-year-old on a farm outside Paul Roux near Bethlehem in October. OFM News earlier reported that the two have so far pleaded not guilty to the murder and robbery charges and that there has at that stage not been any tangible material evidence directly linking them to the murder of Horner.

Mahlamba and Matlaletsa, who are both alleged repeated stock theft offenders, were arrested two days after the brutal murder of Horner. They were arrested at Fateng Tse Ntsho in Paul Roux after Horner's body was found at an open space around the farm with injuries to his head and face, tied with a rope around his neck to a pole.

According to reports, police received a call from other farmers reporting the attack at the De Rots Farm and while police were on the scene, they seized a knife from the scene and his Toyota Hilux was later found with bloodstains abandoned near the Duikfontein Farm in Paul Roux.

OFM News’ Lucky Nkuyane has reported that the State's witness and the leading investigator, Captain Pieter Myburgh, previously told Magistrate Deon van Rooyen, that according to witnesses Mahlamba and co-accused Matlaletsa were allegedly heard bragging about how they stabbed a white male who was giving them problems. During their bail application, it was alleged by the state that evidence such as blood-stained trousers, amongst others, was found at Mahlamba's shanty.

Mahlamba was allegedly seen with the wallet belonging to the deceased at a local tavern in Fateng Tse Ntsho in Paul Roux before their arrest on the night of Saturday 3 October.

OFM News