THE transfer to the High Court in Pietermaritzburg of the murder charges against the King of KwaNxamalala when he was beaten in the last minutes has been delayed.
Yesterday, the District Court of Pietermaritzburg was scheduled to transfer to the High Court of Pietermaritzburg two murder cases against King Simphiwe Erick Zuma.
The cases that will be referred to the high court are the murder of the former prime minister of the KwaNxamalala tribe, Mr. Qalokunye Zuma, and the murder of the opponent of land expropriation, Mr. Xolani Ntombela/Ndlovu.
The State wanted to give the king a summons to the high court in July where the trial would begin.
The cases were not transferred to the high court because the king said he wanted to apply for bail in the case of Ntombela’s murder.
The king rejected the bail request because he had been denied bail on the third count of murder he is facing.
The king’s lawyer, Mr. Mduduzi Nkomo, stated that they have changed their mind.
“I have been ordered to apply for bail. What makes us apply for bail in this case is that we are challenging the annulment of the bail application in this other case. We do not want it to happen that if the application succeeds where we challenge the annulment of bail in this other case then the king will continue to be kept in custody because he did not apply for bail in this case.”
The prosecutor, Advocate Elvis Gcweka, said the king had all the time to apply for bail while the case was being heard at the Magistrate’s Court in Howick.
“He chose not to apply for bail because he knows he was denied bail in another murder case. He knew he would still be in jail even if he was granted bail in this case.”
Magistrate Canon said that he will not be able to refer the case to the High Court if the king still wants to apply for bail.
“If the case is in the high court, he will no longer be able to apply for bail.”
The case has been adjourned to June 25 where the bail application will be heard.
The king is sued with Mr. Thembelani Mbatha in this case.
Another suspect, Thabo Mathonsi Chonco, pleaded guilty.
Chonco was sentenced to 20 years in prison for both cases.
There was also a delay in the confession of those arrested with Zuma in the case of the murder of the DA councilor in Mngeni Municipality, Mr. Nhlalayenza Ndlovu.
Yesterday it was planned that Chonco and Mr. Khayelihle Shabalala would confess to the crime of killing Ndlovu.
That did not happen because their lawyer, Mr. Zipho Khanyile, was not in court.
Gcweka said that Khanyile reported that he was sick. The case was adjourned to July 2.
The king and Mr. Thobani Masobho Hlongwa continue to deny this case.