MOGWASE - The North West High Court is on Thursday, expected to hear arguments in the trial of eight men accused of killing Sabata Petros Chale in Marikana near Rustenburg in North West.
The State and the defence are expected to present their arguments on the merit of the case.
The State alleges that Aubrey Seitsang, Sibonile Sobopha, Herbert Baqhesi, William Nyenyane, Samson Gqwetani, Gift Luveli, Luvo Soyizwaphi and Mzolisi Mbulana killed 39-year-old Chale at Marikana West on December 8, 2016.
Chale was killed allegedly by the group over the allocation of low cost (RDP) houses in Marikana.
He was hacked with spears and pangas. He sustained several stab wounds. The court heard that his attackers allegedly drank his blood after he was killed.
However, in their testimony all eight men agreed that they were at the police station, however, they said that they each went there individually and did not see each other at the meeting. They also denied that they killed Chale or that they were apart of a meeting after he was killed.
Testifying for the State, Mpumelelo Xakumbisa told the court he was part of a group of five-member community leaders in Marikana West Phase 2 also known as Khabangena (kick and enter), and that they held a meeting at Khabangena prior to the men going to the police station to confront the police after they allegedly fired shots at Khabangena while they were chasing a man they wanted to arrest.
They went to the police station in a group and were armed. After the meeting at the police station they went back, searched for Chale, chased him and hacked him to death, after he was killed the men regrouped and held a meeting where they were ordered to never talk about the Chale's murder again.
The State charged that the murder was premeditate.