The case involving two men accused of the brutal killing of four individuals in Block P, Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, on New Year’s Day has been adjourned to January 12 for a formal bail application.
Tshepo Mosemeni, aged 30, and Sipho Kgomo, aged 33, made a brief appearance in the Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria on Thursday. The allegations against the duo involve the murder of four family members in the early hours of New Year in Jukulyn, Soshanguve.
Arrested earlier this week, Mosemeni and Kgomo are facing charges of four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Witnesses reported that the unknown suspects, clad in black bulletproof vests and armed with rifles, carried out the attack.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi revealed that 80 empty rifle cartridges and 19 cartridges from a 9mm firearm were discovered at the crime scene, according to an internal police report. The bodies were found on the street shortly after the shooting.
Soshanguve, grappling with gang-related disputes over drug sales and extortion of protection fees from business owners, has witnessed a surge in crime in recent years. The incident has heightened concerns among residents, reflecting the broader challenges faced by the community in combating rampant criminal activities. Business owners, in particular, have reportedly been coerced into paying protection fees to gangs, adding to the overall security concerns in the township.