Durban — The last of the two cases against the alleged Facebook kidnappers and extortionists was transferred from the bail court to the Regional Court on Friday in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court.
Ntuthuko Mbhense and his co-accused Sboniso Myeza had been attending in two separate courtrooms for two cases they are charged with in relation to kidnapping, extortion, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and sexual assault.
One of these cases was already before the regional court and while in attendance for this case where Mbhense had been out on R3 000 bail he was arrested for the second after being pointed out by the victim while in the dock.
Mbhense and Myeza in this case appeared alongside a third accused who was also out on bail.
Myeza in this matter had abandoned his bail application.
Following Mbhense’s arrest, the two appeared in the bail court where Mbhense applied for bail in respect of the second case; he was however denied bail.
In this matter, the pair are alleged to have committed the offence in 2020 in Mariannhill where it was alleged that the victim had responded to an advert on Facebook for a nanny job.
She was fetched in a car by three men, including Mbhense under the pretext they were taking her for an interview for the advertised employment.
Further, it’s alleged that the woman was tied up and bound and held for a ransom that was demanded from her family.
The victim was allegedly kept tied up in the bush for one night where one accused allegedly raped her. She was reportedly taken to a house in Mariannhill where she was forcefully given drugs and allegedly raped again. Her family paid R2 000 ransom.
Myeza has a third case against him where he appears alongside his 18-year-old girlfriend charged with kidnapping and robbery where it's alleged that last year in October the accused assaulted a woman and using force and violence took her bank card, Sassa card, a cellphone, and R2 000 in Mariannhill.
Two weeks ago Myeza and Mbhense appeared in the Regional Court in Pinetown along with a third accused where it emerged that charges against the third accused and Myeza’s girlfriend were withdrawn.
At the time it was indicated that all of the charges against them would have been consolidated and heard as one.
In court on Friday, the case before the bail court in relation to the R2 000 ransom matter was transferred to Regional Court two, which is the trial court that would hear the men’s matters as one on November 10.
Daily News