Shebeshxt remains in custody after police-escorted bank visit in Polokwane
· Citizen
Lekompo musician Lehlogonolo Chauke, popularly known as Shebeshxt and Shebe Maburna, was not released from custody, the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security department confirmed on Tuesday.
He appeared at Mall of the North in Polokwane under police escort.
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Chauke faces 21 charges, including four counts of attempted murder, assault and malicious damage to property.
They stem from an alleged shooting in Ladanna, Polokwane, in which a fan was wounded.
Department says he remains in custody
Videos of the musician walking through the mall and greeting fans, accompanied by unknown men, circulated on social media at the beginning of the week.
The department responded by clarifying that he had only gone to the bank to withdraw money for his lawyers.
“He remains in custody,” the department said.
It added that the musician had been refused bail.
“He has not been granted bail and continues to be detained,” the department stated.
Court authorised the bank visit
According to the department, an investigating officer may arrange the temporary release of a remand detainee into police custody for authorised purposes.
The visit was meant to help him arrange payment of his legal fees.
“He remained under police supervision throughout this authorised process,” the department explained.
According to Times Live, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo dismissed questions about the trip.
Spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said nothing irregular had happened.
“In the last appearance, the court had ordered that he needs to go to the bank to fix anything that he needed to fix in terms of his finances, so there is nothing wrong with that,” Malabi-Dzhangi stated.
Shebeshxt spotted at Mall of the North https://t.co/Op6BFazfvN
– Retha_ngp (@retha_1_) November 10, 2026
Charges and bail application continue
Chauke has been in custody since his arrest in November 2025.
He faces charges of attempted murder, culpable homicide, assault, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and reckless and negligent driving.
At an earlier appearance, his lawyer, Mutheiwana Sikhwari, reportedly asked the court to let him visit the bank to resolve his banking problems so he could pay his legal team.
The court granted the request.
His earlier bail applications were unsuccessful.
Claims about investigating officer
On Wednesday, he reappeared in court and took the witness stand for re-examination by his lawyer once the state prosecutor finished cross-examining him.
Chauke claimed that the investigating officer, Captain Phaladi Makola, was related to the complainant, Petrus Ralefatana.
He said Makola told him about the link on 10 July 2026, and that he had no platform to raise it other than his affidavit.
Chauke said he had also spoken to a man named Kwenisto, who could back up the claim. According to Chauke, Kwenisto told him he was related both to Makola and the complainant.
Chauke said Kwenisto refused to sign a supporting affidavit out of fear and intimidation by Makola.
He added that Makola said Chauke was disrespecting him, as it is not possible to make a mistake twice, and both times involved his family.
Chauke reaffirmed that Makola was the one who told him about his familial relationship with the complainant Ralefatane.
Chauke said Kwenisto told his girlfriend, Kholofelo Chuene, that he had learned that Makola is related to Ralefatane. “Kholo then told me this, and I asked her to make a conference call which would include Kwenisto as I was still in prison, so I then got to hear it from Kwenisto,” said Chauke.
The bail application continues at the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court.