POTCHEFSTROOM – Sipho Ngwako Masila (39) appeared before the Temba Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, on three charges of murder and two of rape. He was remanded in custody until Friday, 9 January 2026.
The accused’s court appearance came after his arrest on Monday night, 15 December 2025, at his house in Moeka Vuma village, after the police responded to a domestic violence complaint. Masila, who allegedly pointed his girlfriend with a firearm, was also accused of raping the latter’s two daughters, aged 12 and 16, between Monday, 31 March and Sunday, 14 December 2025.
During the arrest, the police found an illegal firearm and numerous suspected stolen goods in the house. Initial investigations linked the accused to the murders and it was determined that the goods belonged to the three murder victims.
The first murder incident was reported in Moeka Vuma, in the early hours of Sunday morning, 06 July 2025. The body of 37-year-old Lefu Lucas Tloomen was found with a gunshot wound inside a yard in Angola Section, Randjiepan village. The victim’s hands and feet were tied up.
The second murder incident was reported at about 10:00 on Monday, 28 July 2025. The body of a 52-year-old, Timothy Hlongwane, was discovered by a passer-by, in the bushes in Moeka Vuma, also with a gunshot wound.
The third and last murder was reported on Friday morning, 22 August 2025, also in the bushes at Randjiepan village. The body of Jose Timoteo Mucuacua (38) was found inside a red BMW, with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The victim’s hands were also tied up.
The North West Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo, congratulated the police at Moeka Vuma for their quick reaction and attentiveness during the arrest of the suspect. He said police will continue to work hard to ensure that those who commit serious and violent crimes are brought to book to face the full might of the law.
