Five accused of killing two Durban crime intelligence officers apply for bail

Five men linked to the murders of two Durban crime intelligence police officers had their bail hearing delayed in Verulam Magistrate's Court on Friday. Captain Louis Nel and Sergeant Mandlakhe Khuzwayo were ambushed on April 30 in Mount Edgecombe, with Nel dying at the scene and Khuzwayo later passing away in the hospital. Investigations led to six suspects, five of whom were arrested last Friday in Pinetown, Amanzimtoti, Mandeni, and Newlands West, while the sixth was fatally wounded in Inanda during a police raid.

Their legal teams, including Ben Dlamini, argued they lacked sufficient time to interview their clients after the accused were moved from Westville to Ebongweni Maximum Security Prison in Kokstad. Dlamini claimed he was unaware of any confession statements made by the accused, as they were not provided with copies of any such statements.

The State requested the defense share documents and draft affidavits to address any issues before the next court appearance. Magistrate Ashin Singh adjourned the bail hearing to October 30, warning against further delays. Prosecutors stated they were prepared to proceed with the hearing and claimed the men conspired to steal R900,000 from the police's Crime Intelligence Secret Service account between February and April.