TWELVE members of the South African National Defence Force's (SANDF) Special Task Force have been granted bail in the Randburg Magistrates Court on Friday, 11 July.
This comes after their arrest in connection with the murder of Hawks investigator Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa.
The elite soldiers are facing murder and kidnapping charges, stemming from a high-profile case involving Ethiopian national Abdella Abadiga, believed to be an ISIS leader, and his bodyguard, who were reportedly abducted in December 2022.
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Lieutenant-Colonel Mathipa was investigating circumstances surrounding Abadiga's disappearance when he was fatally shot in August 2023 near Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria.
His murder sparked a complex probe that eventually led to the Special Task Force members.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokeswoman in Gauteng Phindi Mjonondwane confirmed the court's decision to release the accused on bail.
She said the state would continue to prepare for trial and remains confident in the strength of its case.
"The NPA respects the court's decision but is committed to pursuing justice in this matter," said Mjonondwane.
