Dailymaverick logo

Maverick News

Maverick News

Acquitted Cape Town mass killing co-accused back in dock on robbery, firearm possession charges

Acquitted Cape Town mass killing co-accused back in dock on robbery, firearm possession charges
A week ago, Yanga ‘Bara’ Nyalara and co-accused Wanda Tofile, alias Mampintsa, were acquitted of an extortion-related mass killing that claimed 12 lives in Khayelitsha in May 2021. On Thursday, Nyalara was back in the Cape Town Regional Court, this time for robbery and illegal firearm possession.

A co-accused acquitted of mass murder last week, Yanga “Bara” Nyalara, appeared in court again on Thursday, on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and illegal possession of a firearm. These relate to a crime in the city of Cape Town eight years ago.

Represented by advocate Reuben Liddel, Nyalara appeared briefly before magistrate Byron Pedro.

The matter was on the roll for trial date. However, Pedro found no note about a pretrial attached to the docket.

The accused was escorted by police officers, who took positions around him and at the entrance to Court C.

Last Tuesday (13 August), Nyalara and Wanda Tofile were acquitted after the Goodwood Prison Court ruled that the testimony of Mr Z, the only surviving witness in the mass shooting case, was unreliable. There were inconsistencies in his version of the event and his evidence in court contradicted his statement.

Nyalara remained behind bars for the new charges brought against him. Tofile will be released in September 2024 after serving his sentence in an unrelated matter.

Robbery charges


Thursday’s proceedings related to an alleged incident on 30 June 2016 near the MTN shop on Riebeek Street in Cape Town’s St George’s Mall.

According to a witness statement, Nyalara approached a victim with a firearm near the shop and forcefully took a cellphone valued at R2,300, R1,000 in cash and an MTN jacket.

Read more: “Two Cape Town mass-killing-accused suspects acquitted after judge finds testimony of sole surviving witness to be unreliable”

The statement says Nyalara was allegedly found in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Bail application still an option


Prosecutor Adiel Jansen told the court that Nyalara was expected to apply for bail in this case.

But Nyalara’s lawyer told the court his client did not come to apply for bail but for a trial: “This matter is postponed to this court for a trial date to be assigned to the matter… We are here for a trial date, nothing else.”

Liddel continued: “My client, last week Tuesday, was acquitted of 12 counts of murder in the Western Cape High Court – I represented him in the matter – as well as six counts of attempted murder, as well as two counts of possession of unlawful firearms and ammunition, he was acquitted, found not guilty and he has only this matter presently pending before this honorable court.”

Liddel pointed out that Nyalara’s bail application is still an option which would be ventilated by his instructing attorney.

Pedro postponed proceedings to 5 September for a pretrial hearing and to set a trial date. DM

Categories: