Banele Mancoba, the leading character – and most vocal – among the feared Mancoba’s Angels Ministry Church, is to be sent for psychiatric evaluation.
This is to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial.
Mancoba, 30, second-in-command of the cult, was the persuasive spin doctor of the church.
In the outburst earlier this year, when five police officers, an off-duty soldier and seven of the cult’s members were gunned to death, Mancoba presented himself as innocent and addressed the media.
At the time he expressed his disgust over the attack in which police were shot dead, but also outrage over the subsequent police raid at the church compound which resulted in the shootout that left seven suspects dead including three Mancoba bothers Thandazile, Phuthumile and Xolisa.
In media reports he blamed his elder brother Thandazile of causing all the problems and labelled him the family’s black sheep.
He did not move when Magistrate Thobile Bara told him that he would be sent for psychiatric evaluation at Fort England Hospital.
Mancoba was charged with sexual exploitation and rape following what he claimed was his marriage to a woman who was 15 years old. He has a two-year-old child with her.
He abandoned applying for bail from the outset and has said he is ready to proceed with the trial.
Mancoba is due in court again on May 24 alongside his co-accused – including his brother Ephraim Mancoba – to face charges of conspiracy to rob in connection with an attempted robbery of a local bus depot.
Earlier in the day six men – including another family member, Phuthumile Mancoba, 31 – appeared before Bara to face charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder and unlawful possession of unlicensed firearms. These charges relate to an attack on the Ngcobo police station in which five police officers and a bystander – who turned out to be an off-duty soldier – were slain.
Phuthumile’s co-accused – Andani Monco, 30, Siphosomzi Tshefu, 24, Kwanele Ndlwane, 22, Siphesihle Tatsi, 19, and Phumzile Mhlatywa, 46 – joked in the dock. Only Phuthumile has asked for a legal aid lawyer.
The magistrate confirmed with the accused that everyone but Phuthumile had abandoned the idea of bail.
Senior state prosecuting advocate Nomapa Mvadana asked for the matter to be postponed, saying that the police were still concluding their investigation.
Bara postponed the case to June 14.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Luxolo Tyali said Monco and Ndlwane would also appear today in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court to face another two counts of murder and robbery.
These charges relate to the death of KwaZulu-Natal church leader Ndumiso Jali and his wife, who were shot and killed at their premises in Clydesdale in Umzimkhulu in early February.
The Jalis were leading members of the controversial church and even housed the Mancobas on their land in Umzimkhulu – until the two families had a fallout.
Shortly before the Jalis’ death, several of the Mancoba brothers were allegedly seen in Umzimkhulu. — lulamilef@dispatch.c.za
Mancoba ‘angel’ sent for mental evaluation
This is to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial.
Mancoba, 30, second-in-command of the cult, was the persuasive spin doctor of the church.
In the outburst earlier this year, when five police officers, an off-duty soldier and seven of the cult’s members were gunned to death, Mancoba presented himself as innocent and addressed the media.
At the time he expressed his disgust over the attack in which police were shot dead, but also outrage over the subsequent police raid at the church compound which resulted in the shootout that left seven suspects dead including three Mancoba bothers Thandazile, Phuthumile and Xolisa.
In media reports he blamed his elder brother Thandazile of causing all the problems and labelled him the family’s black sheep.
He did not move when Magistrate Thobile Bara told him that he would be sent for psychiatric evaluation at Fort England Hospital.
Mancoba was charged with sexual exploitation and rape following what he claimed was his marriage to a woman who was 15 years old. He has a two-year-old child with her.
He abandoned applying for bail from the outset and has said he is ready to proceed with the trial.
Mancoba is due in court again on May 24 alongside his co-accused – including his brother Ephraim Mancoba – to face charges of conspiracy to rob in connection with an attempted robbery of a local bus depot.
Earlier in the day six men – including another family member, Phuthumile Mancoba, 31 – appeared before Bara to face charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder and unlawful possession of unlicensed firearms. These charges relate to an attack on the Ngcobo police station in which five police officers and a bystander – who turned out to be an off-duty soldier – were slain.
Phuthumile’s co-accused – Andani Monco, 30, Siphosomzi Tshefu, 24, Kwanele Ndlwane, 22, Siphesihle Tatsi, 19, and Phumzile Mhlatywa, 46 – joked in the dock. Only Phuthumile has asked for a legal aid lawyer.
The magistrate confirmed with the accused that everyone but Phuthumile had abandoned the idea of bail.
Senior state prosecuting advocate Nomapa Mvadana asked for the matter to be postponed, saying that the police were still concluding their investigation.
Bara postponed the case to June 14.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Luxolo Tyali said Monco and Ndlwane would also appear today in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court to face another two counts of murder and robbery.
These charges relate to the death of KwaZulu-Natal church leader Ndumiso Jali and his wife, who were shot and killed at their premises in Clydesdale in Umzimkhulu in early February.
The Jalis were leading members of the controversial church and even housed the Mancobas on their land in Umzimkhulu – until the two families had a fallout.
Shortly before the Jalis’ death, several of the Mancoba brothers were allegedly seen in Umzimkhulu. — lulamilef@dispatch.c.za
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