NATIONAL NEWS - Six men appeared in the Ngcobo Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday in connection with the shooting of five police officers.

Ephrahim Mancoba indicated that he would resume his bail application to bury his brothers. Three of his brothers, Thandazile, Xolisa and Philile were killed during a shootout with police.

The men – Lwandiso Phoswa, Zuko Makepula, Thulani Mrwetyana, Loyiso Buhlungu, and Mawande Jijingubo – are charged with conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstance along with Banele Mancoba, Siphenathi Mafikwana, Nyameko Mhleli Gemi, Anelani Nobethe, and Luxolo Sixoli.

The State said it was going to add a charge of robbery against the men.

Phoswa, Makepula and Mrwetyana were arrested on Monday last week  in Dutywa while Buhlungu was arrested on the same day in Mthatha. They were arrested by the Task team which is investigating the Ngcobo police killings.

Sixolo and Gemi were arrested by the Task team in Butterworth on Friday while Nobethe was arrested in Cape Town. These arrests are in relation to a December 2017 robbery which occurred in Ngcobo.

It is alleged that all these suspects committed the crime while they were residing at Seven Angels Ministries.

Banele Mancoba, Mafikwana, Gemi, Nobethe and Sixoli already abandoned their bail application.

Read more on the Caxton publication, The Citizen.