A shocking administrative mix-up at the Durban Magistrate’s Court allowed 25-year-old Vukani Khumalo, a man accused of eight murders, to walk free on Wednesday after being mistakenly released on bail.
How Vukani Khumalo exposed poor admin and security protocols at Durban courts
Khumalo, who is facing charges for a series of brutal murders, was mistakenly swapped with another suspect, Khulekani Khumalo, who was due to appear for a lesser crime—vehicle theft.
The mix-up led to Vukani being granted bail of R3,000, which was paid by his mother, under the mistaken assumption that he was appearing for the vehicle theft charge.
The error was only discovered later in the day when Khulekani Khumalo raised the alarm during his court appearance, pointing out that he was the actual theft suspect.
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By then, Vukani Khumalo had already left the courthouse.
The Durban Hawks activated its provincial tracking team following the discovery of the mistake. After a frantic search, Greenwood Park SAPS rearrested Vukani Khumalo in KwaMashu on Wednesday evening, where he had been hiding.
Khumalo is linked to eight murders, seven of which occurred in Inanda, while the eighth was in the Durban area.
Vukani Khumalo is set to appear in court again on Thursday, where he will face his original murder charges alongside additional charges of escaping from lawful custody.
