The five members linked to the Western Vhukovhela Protection Unit and their co-accused, two minors, appeared in the Thohoyandou High Court on Monday, 14 August, on 26 charges, including murder, kidnapping, intimidation, pointing of a firearm, attempted murder, and assault.
The suspects, Dakalo Makhavhu, Sam Makananise, Duncan Madzaga, Mbilaelo Bakali, and Rendani Makhavhu, appeared before Judge Thogomelani Tshidada, who postponed their case to 13 October as two more charges will likely be added to the current charges. The new charges relate to the bodies of a man and a woman that were exhumed in Gogobole and Rathidili (Tshikhwani), in the Sinthumule area, on 29 January this year.
The suspects, who were arrested for terrorising the local communities, had allegedly confessed to killing these people and took the police to the sites where they had buried their victims in shallow graves.
The woman (33), who allegedly went missing in February 2022 after leaving her home in Sekonye village, Botlokwa, for Louis Trichardt, was allegedly kidnapped by the suspects, tortured, and killed. They then buried her in a shallow grave. This happened after she refused to surrender a property in Louis Trichardt, allegedly used as a brothel.
The 40-year-old man, reported missing in July 2022, allegedly fell victim to vigilantism when he was kidnapped from his home in Madombidzha, Zone 4. He was accused of stealing copper cables. The two cases are still ongoing at the Tshilwavhusiku Magistrate's Court.
The initial five Vhukovhela members were arrested during a multidisciplinary, intelligence-driven operation by the Vhembe Trio Task team, Makhado CI, and Beitbridge Task Team between 26 and 28 October last year. The two minors were arrested in Mokopane, where they had been hiding out, in January this year.