News24 | Special Forces general accused of killing Hawks officer remains on bail – court

Brigadier-General Solomon Lechoenyo, the recently appointed head of the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) Special Forces, will remain out on bail after the Randburg Magistrate’s Court ruled that he and five co-accused did not violate their bail conditions.

Lechoenyo – who was promoted to command the elite unit earlier this year – had faced the prospect of having his bail revoked alongside Edward Albert van Deventer, Herbert Mashego, Jacob Mokoena, Richard Mpoetsi and Olyn Lenardus.

Lechoenyo and his co-accused are among 12 SANDF Special Forces soldiers charged with the August 2023 murder of Hawks detective Lieutenant-Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was investigating the kidnapping of two Ethiopian nationals when he was killed.

The State had argued that the six failed to comply with their bail reporting conditions imposed by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on 16 January and sought to have their bail revoked.

However, Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe on Monday found that while the accused did not immediately make arrangements to report at their nearest police stations following the High Court order, their conduct did not justify the drastic step of revoking bail.

The court ruled that the group was ultimately compliant with their bail conditions and ordered that their bail be extended.

Monday’s ruling means Lechoenyo – now the country’s top Special Forces commander – and his co-accused will remain out on bail as they await trial.

This is a developing story.

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