A senior official attached to the Mpumalanga Premier’s Office has appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court in connection with the murder of a provincial forensic investigator.
According to a statement released by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Friday, Emmanuel Neverdie Mkhabela, 47, who serves as a protocol manager in the Office of the Premier in Mpumalanga, appeared in court on charges of premeditated murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of ammunition.
The charges relate to the killing of Mabidi Mashaba, a forensic investigator employed by the Mpumalanga Provincial Government.
Mkhabela’s co-accused, Eckson Jabulani Mkhonto, 53, a vetting officer also from the Office of the Premier, briefly appeared before the same court on Thursday facing similar charges.
NPA regional spokesperson for Gauteng Division Pretoria, Lumka Mahanjana, said the incident occurred on September 7, 2023.
