One of the accused, Sekwetje Mahlamba, is set to file another motion for bail application, following new facts. 

This after the long-awaited DNA results in the murder case of a young farm manager in Paul Roux near Senekal in the Free State "do not link the blood on the murder suspects' clothes, to Brendin Horner". The defence of Mahlamba and his co-accused Sekola Matlaletsa says they will now seek for them to be released out on bail before the case is transferred to the circuit high court in Bethlehem for further deliberation. 

A new magistrate is also expected to preside over the bail proceedings. 

The two face charges of murder, robbery, and stock theft after they were arrested in October 2020 following the discovery of Horner's body. He was tied to a pole near Fateng Tse Ntsho, at Paul Roux, with stab wounds to his head, shoulders, and hands.

Legal defence Advocate Machini Motloung previously told OFM News that they don’t want the case to be transferred to the High Court while their clients are still in custody. Mahlamba and Matlaletsa pleaded not guilty to the murder and robbery charges and according to Motloung, thus far there allegedly hasn't been any tangible material evidence such as DNA results that directly links them to the murder of Horner.

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 bakkie was later found with bloodstains, abandoned near the Duikfontein Farm in Paul Roux.

During the initial bail application of the two men, it was alleged by the state that evidence such as blood-stained trousers was found at Mahlamba's shanty.

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.

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 3 October.

According to another witnesses' statement, it's alleged that Mahlamba, in the company of Matlaletsa and a third unidentified man, was seen descending from behind the mountains from the direction where the attack on Horner had taken place. His clothes were allegedly bloodstained.

OFM News