By Luvuyo Mjekula and Nomfundo Mbatha
The director of public prosecutions (DPP) is reviewing murder accused Xabiso Mngcongo’s case, the Makhanda Magistrate’s Court heard this week.
Mngcongo made a brief court appearance on Wednesday, facing four counts of murder including the killing of a retired SAPS detective.
Police spent months hunting down the 34-year-old as a “person of interest” in connection with the four murder cases, said to have been committed between November 2022 and June 2024 in KwaZakhele in Gqeberha and Joza in Makhanda.
“Most victims were not armed, and one of them was a retired police officer,” said provincial police spokesperson, Majola Nkohli, in a statement.
Sarah Baartman district police reported that on 17 June 2024, at about 1am, they were called to a shooting incident in Tsili Street, Joza. “Upon arrival, police found a male person with gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital and shortly after arrival declared dead. The suspect [in the case]was positively identified as Xabiso Mngcongo.”
Police further stated that Mngcongo was also implicated in a retired police officer’s murder. “It is alleged that on 16 June 2024, at about 23:00 the deceased, a retired police officer, was at his house when he was suspected to have been called out of his house and then shot while standing in front of the door.”
Mngcongo was wanted for questioning, and the police believed he could assist with their investigation.
However, the authorities said several attempts and efforts to locate him had been unsuccessful.
In June, after his photograph was published on various media platforms including Grocott’s Mail and a R50 000 reward offered, Mngcongo handed himself over to police and was arrested.
He later abandoned his bail bid in court and has been in custody since.
In court on Wednesday, the state asked for the matter to be postponed as the docket was in the DPP’s possession.
The case was postponed to Friday, 15 August.
