By Staff Reporter
THOHOYANDOU-Two of the Legal Aid attorneys appointed to represent Tshianeo Munyai (30), who stands accused of shooting and killing well-known Thohoyandou lawyer Mmbambadzeni James Manwadu (46) in January this year, withdrew from the case last Friday, on the grounds that Manwadu had been a colleague of theirs.
Manwadu, of Maniini Block K near Thohoyandou, was gunned down in front of the gate at his home near the Thavhani Mall.
“It is not that we don’t want to represent you in court as Legal Aid South Africa. We are conflicted to represent you. The victim, whom you are accused [of killing] was our colleague and we can’t help you,” said Mr Thomas Madzaga, head of Legal Aid South Africa’s Thohoyandou office.
Wanga Monyai of Wanga Monyai Attorneys and Cynthia Nemadzhilili were appointed to represent the accused but withdrew their services out of respect for Manwadu, who worked with them in the same office. “We have submitted Munyai’s murder case to the outside Judicare and we will wait for the court to appoint an outside lawyer in this regard,” said Madzaga.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the Vhembe Trio Crime Task Team had received information about the location of suspects responsible for the spate of business robberies, car hijackings, murders and rape committed around the Thohoyandou, Mphephu, Siloam, Vuwani and the Levubu policing areas. “The information was operationalised, which led the task team to different locations at Ha-Mutoti, Duthuni, Shayandima and Thohoyandou Block F, where four suspects were arrested,” said Mojapelo.
Munyai appeared in the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 12 September, after he was first linked to the murder of the late Collins Chabane mayor, Moses Maluleke (56). He is the fifth suspect to be arrested in connection with Maluleke’s case. On Tuesday, 13 September, he appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances (relating to the Maluleke case).
On Wednesday, 14 September, he appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder in Manwadu’s case. The case was postponed by the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Friday to 3 October 2022, for a legal representative to be appointed at the state’s expense. Munyai was remanded in custody
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