By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Alexandra magistrate’s court has granted the state a postponement in the case against four men accused of murdering of popular artist Oupa ‘DJ Sumbody’ Sefoka.
Sekofa was killed in a hail of bullets in November 2022 alongside his two body guards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza.
The postponement is to allow further investigation and verification of new information in the murder case.
The four accused briefly appeared before the Alexander Magistrate’s Court facing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder on Tuesday.
The accused are Micheal Pule Tau, Tiego Floyd Mabusela, Musa Kekana and Sandton businessman Katiso Molefe.
This follows their arrest in Gauteng on Monday.
The state told the court on Tuesday that it needed more time to pursue fresh leads that had emerged following their arrests across Gauteng.
Speaking to the media outside court, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the accused are facing three counts of murder, two of possession of firearms and a possession of ammunition.
She added that one of the accused indicated that they want to bring a formal bail application before court.
“As the state we were not yet ready to proceed, we are finalising the investigation in terms of the bail application that must be heard by the court.
“We have been granted the opportunity by the court to conclude those investigations which will include amongst others, profiling the accused that wants to bring the formal bail application.”
The national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe also addressed media outside Court on Tuesday, she revealed that the firearm used in the fatal attack had been positively linked to at least ten other high-profile criminal cases.
The latest developments point to a broader web of violent criminal activity and indicate that a group of alleged hitmen may have been operating across Gauteng.
“At this stage, all those four firearms, including the one AK-47, are linked to at least 10 high-profile cases that include murder and attempted murder,” said Mathe.
Mathe added that the same group of suspects linked to the murder of 30-year-old engineer Amand Swart in April 2024 are now charged in connection with DJ Sumbody’s assassination.
“What is interesting is that the same suspects that were arrested for the murder of Amand Swart are the same suspects that are arrested in connection with the murder of DJ Sumbody and his two bodyguards.”
According to police, three firearms and an AK-47 seized after Swart’s murder were sent for ballistic testing and matched to the weapons used in DJ Sumbody’s killing.
Further forensic analysis has linked the weapons to additional crimes, including the attempted murder of actress and businesswoman Tebogo Thobejane.
Controversial Gauteng businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is currently on trial for Thobejane’s attempted murder.
“We now know that the same firearm that killed (Vereeniging engineer) Amand Swart is the same firearm that killed DJ Sumbody and his two bodyguards,” Mathe confirmed.
Meanwhile City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Transport, Kenny Kunene was found at the home of alleged mastermind in DJ Sumbody’s murder, Molefe.
Kunene has confirmed that he was at Molefe’s house when police arrived to arrest the Sandton businessman, at his home in the plush neighbourhood on Monday.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg caucus leader, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said the revelations were damning for Kunene.
“Criminality and underworld links seem to be entrenched in the Patriotic Alliance (PA) as their Johannesburg leader was found at the home of a suspected murderer during his arrest,” she said.
“Kunene’s role as MMC for Transport is absolutely untenable, after he was found by police at the home of a murder suspect, as police arrived to arrest the suspect. The DA calls for Kunene’s immediate resignation, and if he will not resign Mayor Dada Morero must fire him.”
She said the explanation given by Kunene, in explaining what he was doing at the house is “laughable” and must be rejected out of hand.