Durban - The three men charged with the murder of Verulam’s ex-mayor Sagadava “Manna” Naidoo will spend Christmas behind bars.
Naidoo, 73, was found dead in the Cottonlands sugar cane plantation in May. According to police, his hands and legs were bound and he had been shot in the back of his head.
On September 21, members of the Provincial Organized Crime Unit arrested Ignatius Chihoho, Sibongiseni Langa and Clement Richard Mkwanyana aged between 26 and 45.
They were charged with kidnapping, murder and robbery and remanded in custody.
On Friday the trio made a fresh bid for bail and were again unsuccessful.
The trio have hired lawyers and the case was adjourned to next year for further investigation.
Naidoo was reported missing on May 25.
According to Prem Balram from Reaction Unit SA, Naidoo’s four firearms were missing from the safe as well as his white Toyota Hilux single cab bakkie.
His son Yushen Naidoo told The Mercury the manner in which he was murdered had left the whole family distraught.
“We are still visualising the whole act.”
The number of murders across SA have increased according to the latest crime statistics, with over 7000 people being killed between July and September.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said arguments, misunderstandings and road rage and provocations accounted for 956 murders in the country.
Inanda and uMlazi police stations in KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of murders in the country.
IOL