Sekola Matlaletsa and Sekwetja Mahlamba are applying for bail in the Senekal Magistrates Court.
Sekola Matlaletsa and Sekwetja Mahlamba, two suspects accused of murdering Brendin Horner at the Senekal Magistrates court on 16 October 2020. Picture: Abigail Javier/EWN
SENEKAL – The defence in the Brendin Horner case said that the DNA results presented by the State were exceptional enough to ensure that the suspects were granted bail.
Sekola Matlaletsa and Sekwetja Mahlamba are applying for bail in the Senekal Magistrates Court.
They are accused of killing the 21-year-old farm manager when he caught them trying to steal stock.
The court heard that the suspects’ swabs were tested against the DNA in Horner’s bakkie and it came back negative for one of the suspects, while the swab of the other suspect was defective.
The lawyers for the defence have been arguing for the entire day to try and finish their application on Tuesday and afford the magistrate an opportunity to think about the evidence before him.
Joseph Kgoelenya is the lawyer for Sekwetja Mahlamba.
He told the court that the most recent results and the lack of fingerprint evidence showed that his client could not be linked to the crime.
“Therefore the other part of it is that the blood that was in the car of the deceased belonged to the deceased. That piece of evidence is crucial. It’s one of the aspects that will inform the court in terms of making its finding as to whether applicant number one should be granted bail.”
Sekola Matlaletsa’s lawyer has also questioned the State’s case on the back of the latest revelation.
“In the absence of forensic evidence, will the State be content and satisfied if the applicants are expedited on forensic evidence and will they be content and proceed with the charges against the applicants.”
The State insists that the DNA results are preliminary findings and they are awaiting the final results from a government laboratory.