Magistrate recuses herself from Hillcrest cop double-murder case
The magistrate that was handling the case against a Hillcrest police officer accused of killing two women has recused herself.
Blessing Sikhakhane’s bail application was supposed to be heard in the Pinetown Magistrate's Court on Monday.
But instead, the 23-year-old constable brought another application.
The magistrate whose been handling the case against a #Durban policeman accused of murdering two women, he was alleged to be in relationships with has recused herself. @ECR_Newswatch pic.twitter.com/w5REANwGwL
— Nushera Soodyal (@nushera) November 7, 2022
The visible policing officer was arrested three weeks ago after the bodies of 18-year-old Enhle Majola and 24-year-old Sthembile Ngobese were found in his home in Botha's Hill, west of Durban.
The women, both of whom he was apparently in a relationship with, had been shot.
Through his private attorney, Sikhakhane today told the court he had learnt the father of the younger victim worked at the court.
READ: Hillcrest cop arrested for murder of two women
The court heard Sikhakhane felt this would jeopardise his case and cause undue bias against him.
Magistrate Gwendolyn Robinson believed that would not be the case, explaining that she only deals with her immediate staff and does not know Majola’s father.
She nonetheless recused herself and postponed the bail application to Thursday.
Robinson says a new magistrate will be brought in from outside the district to handle the case.
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