Prison warders appear over magistrate killing

Two prison wardens and a criminal on parole have appeared in the Pretoria Regional Court on charges of murdering Magistrate Victor Mabunda (49) from Cullinan. A Beeld report notes Mabunda was shot dead in the driveway of his house in Bronkhorstspruit when he returned from court. Mabunda was conducting the trial of now murder-accused Thomo Michael Ngoato (42) at the time. Ngoato is charged with smuggling drugs into the Baviaanspoort prison where he works. Mabunda refused Ngoato’s application for a discharge and complained at court that someone had tried to bribe him. He was shot four times with a 9mm pistol hours later. Ngoato’s co-accused is colleague Paulos Fourie (43) and former prisoner Thato Maringa (27). The case was postponed for a bail application.