Murder accused Azwidohwi Enoch Ndou, 53, in court. Picture: Supplied
Pretoria - A Limpopo man suspected of killing seven family members at Jimmy Jones village on Christmas Day over a land dispute was refused bail at the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Azwidohwi Enoch Ndou, 53, who is a nurse, appeared for his bail hearing on the seven counts of murder.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzangi, said the court denied Ndou bail on the basis that all the facts given by him were not exceptional.
Malabi-Dzangind said it was in the interests of justice to keep the accused in safe custody because the community was baying for his blood.
“During his bail application, Ndou took the stand and testified that he is a professional nurse at Mahikeng Hospital and that he would lose his job and suffer financial loss.
Ndou also told the court that he would lose his movable property in the form of vehicles as well as his land if he was kept in custody. He gave three addresses in Jim Jones Village, North West and Gauteng,” she said.
Ndou is not married and does not have children.
Malabi-Dzangi added that the prosecution had opposed bail and called a State witness who indicated that Ndou’s life was in danger as the community was angry over the incident.
She said: “The community came to court in numbers, chanting outside the court threatening to destroy the court building, police station and shopping complex if Ndou was released on bail.
“The unnamed witness further told the court that even Ndou’s brother was not willing to stay with him at the Gauteng address he provided.”
Ndou was arrested soon after he went to Thohoyandou police station, where he wanted to open a case against his family members who wanted to take his firearm.
“It was then discovered that the suspect shot and killed seven people. He was charged with seven counts of murder,” Malabi-Dzangi said.
The country was reeling in shock after Ndou allegedly sprayed a family of seven with bullets in the early hours of Christmas Day last year.
The victims have been identified as Mpho Donald Ndou, 33, Ndivhuwo Douglas Ndou, 33, Portia Mabasa, 37, Rendani Winnus Ndou, 12, Ronewa Ndou, 4, and Wanga Ndou, 12. One of them, Dakalo Makondo Ndou, 8, died on her way to hospital.
The case was postponed until April 22 for further investigations.
Pretoria News