Four men arrested for extortion, including Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni, are set to return to court on Monday as their formal bail application continues.
Sibanyoni, Mvimbi Masilela, Philemon Msiza and Bafana Sindane were arrested by the Political Killings Task Team last week.
The group made its first appearance in the Kwaggafontein Magistrates Court in Mpumalanga, with the matter now returning for bail proceedings.
They are facing charges of extortion and two counts of money laundering.
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According to the charge sheet, Sibanyoni and his three co-accused are alleged to have extorted a known businessman multiple times between 2022 and 2025.
The State accuses them of threatening the businessman and forcing him to pay a protection fee, failing which his businesses would allegedly be shut down by force.
Over the three-year period, the businessman is said to have paid the 60-year-old Sibanyoni more than R2.2 million.
Sibanyoni, however, seems undeterred, telling journalists last week that being behind bars would give him an opportunity to preach the word of God to criminals in jail.
Alpha Ramushwana
www.ewn.co.za
