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 accused — 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 responding to a ride request from passengers.
Video footage from the vehicle’s dashboard reportedly shows a female passenger attacking him, while a male passenger seated at the back also joined in.
The victim was allegedly strangled from behind. The suspects are said to have left his body on the back seat before taking over the vehicle.
Police later found the stolen car with Satlat’s body inside.
In a statement issued on Monday, the South African National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the suspects are facing charges of premeditated murder and robbery.
The agency disclosed that the accused have abandoned their bail application and that the case has been adjourned to February 23 for further investigation.
“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.”
A fourth suspect handed himself over to the police on Monday and is expected to be formally charged on Tuesday.