Two officials from the Mpumalanga Premier’s Office accused of murdering forensic investigator Izzy Machaba are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Mkhabela and Eckson Mkhonto face charges of premeditated murder, as well as the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Machaba was killed in September 2023 while travelling from Mpumalanga to Pretoria. He was allegedly ambushed along the way and shot multiple times, with more than 20 bullets reportedly striking his vehicle.
The suspects are also accused of stealing Machaba’s work laptop and sensitive documents during the attack.
According to the State, Machaba was investigating allegations of fraudulent qualifications, irregular government appointments and other suspected corruption within the Mpumalanga Premier’s Office at the time of his death.
Investigators believe the murder may have been linked to his work and the sensitive investigations he was conducting.
Mkhabela and Mkhonto were arrested in late May following a lengthy police investigation into Machaba’s killing.
The case is expected to shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the forensic investigator’s death and the allegations he was probing before he was killed.