Another court date for 87 illegal miners

The Stilfontein Regional Court delayed the case against eighty-seven(87) suspects, who are facing charges related to illegal mining at shaft 2 in Orkney. The mater is set for 10 June 2022, for further consultations. The defence attorney has requested to consult with his clients and he registered interest in having consultations with the state on undisclosed aspects of the case. The state is ready to make considerations, should the defence present a plea bargain that proposes a conviction that equals the crime.

All the accused are in police custody after they abandoned bail, owing to their illegal status in South Africa. They are charged with six(6) counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, conspiracy to commit robbery, illegal mining, possession of automatic firearms, attempted murder and contravening the immigration act. Police reports indicate that eight (8) of the accused were wounded and six (6) fatally wounded during a shootout with members of the Special Task Force, assisted by Hawks Organised Crime in the North West, during an intelligence-driven operation on Wednesday 20 October 2021.

The eight (8) injured have since been discharged from the hospital and are now in police custody. Following the shootout, Police discovered, two mini-busses, illegal mining paraphernalia, gold-bearing material, and eleven Illegal firearms (3 x shotguns, 3 x rifles, 4 x pistols and 1 x revolver) and bags of food.

The suspects will remain in police custody until the matter is finalised.