Following the arrest of two men accused of being in possession of a large quantity of drugs in Noordheuwel, court proceedings continued on March 26.

The accused, identified as Richard Okuchuku Aralu and George Chigozie Abel, appeared in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court for their formal bail applications.

Before a ruling could be made on whether Abel would be granted bail, the court required clarity on the value of the alleged illegal substances seized, as the amount reflected on the docket was R90 000.

The investigating officer took the stand to provide this information, however, the magistrate ruled that she was not the appropriate witness and that the arresting officer would need to testify instead.

Aralu, who had not been present at the previous hearing due to hospitalisation following an alleged assault by police, proceeded with his bail application. It was revealed in court that he has multiple prior convictions for drug-related offences, but there are currently no outstanding warrants for his arrest.

Related article: Inside the Noordheuwel drug bust that uncovered R1.7m stash

His defence argued for his release on bail, citing, among other reasons, his willingness to surrender his passport. The court also heard that he owns property in Nigeria. His legal team proposed bail of R1 000, while the state opposed this, arguing for bail to be set at R20 000.

Both bail applications were postponed until March 31, when the arresting officer is expected to testify. In the meantime, both accused remain in custody.