/ 16 March 2007

Fourth suspect in Rattray murder appears in court

The fourth suspect in the murder of Anglo-Zulu War expert David Rattray has appeared in the Dundee Magistrate’s Court.

Sabelo Xolani Mpanza (28) appeared in the northern KwaZulu-Natal court on Thursday. He was denied bail and the matter was postponed for a week to allow time for his legal-aid application to be processed.

He is being held at the Glencoe prison.

While being led to the court on Thursday, Mpanza shouted at police officers that he did not want to be photographed by the media.

He was arrested in the Helpmekaar area, about 40km from Dundee, on Tuesday night. He had apparently being hiding with relatives.

Two other men involved in the Rattray murder have already confessed to the killing and were sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment each.

Another suspect, Siphiwe Ndlovu, has already appeared in the Dundee Magistrate’s Court, but has not pleaded to the charges. He is due back in court next month.

Rattray was gunned down at his home at Fugitive’s Lodge in the battlefields tourism area near Dundee on January 26. — Sapa