Three South Africans have been charged in court for allegedly killing Isaac Satlat, a 22-year-old Nigerian e-hailing driver, in Pretoria West.
The suspects, identified as Dikeledi Tears Mphela (24), Goitsione Machidi (25), and McClaren Mushwana (30), appeared before the Pretoria magistrates’ court on Monday.
Satlat was killed on February 11 after picking up passengers who had requested his service.
Footage from the car’s dashboard shows a female passenger attacking him as a male passenger in the back seat joined in the assault.
The victim was reportedly strangled from behind, after which the suspects then dumped his body on the back seat and took control of the vehicle.
Police later recovered the hijacked car with Satlat’s body inside.
According to a statement released on Monday by the South African National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the suspects are facing charges of premeditated murder and robbery.
The agency said the suspects abandoned their bail application, adding that the case has been adjourned to February 23 for further investigations.
“It is alleged that on 11 February 2026, the accused ordered e-hailing services using a mobile phone number that was not registered in their name,” Lumka Mahanjana, the NPA regional spokesperson for the Gauteng division, said in the statement.
“When the vehicle arrived, Mphela and an accomplice, who is still at large, got into the vehicle, while the other two accused followed in a separate car.
“Mphela and her accomplice allegedly forced the deceased to stop the vehicle, strangled him to death and robbed him of his cell phone and vehicle which was later recovered.
“The incident was captured by a camera installed in the vehicle, and the footage was circulated on social media.
“Investigations by the South African Police Service led to the arrest of Mphela on 13 February 2026. The other two accused were arrested on 15 February 2026. The matter was postponed to 23 February 2026, for further investigations.
“The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) remains committed to working closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators of violent crimes are brought to justice.”
The fourth suspect handed himself over to the police on Monday, and he is expected to face charges on Tuesday.
