Farm-attack accused face fury of united front
At first it was thought that those were the supporters of the suspects but against all odds, the group whipped out an AfriForum banner and placards against granting bail to the suspects.
LYDENBURG – The perception that farm-attack protests only had white supporters was smashed yesterday when black and white united in front of the local Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The protest led by AfriForum opposed bail for the six suspects responsible for the brutal attack on Mr Alan (57) and Ms Estelle Bullen (58) on their farm in the Badfontein region.
AfriForum members, the public and farmers gathered outside the court with placards reading, “No bail for farm attackers!” While they were protesting another group arrived in a taxi.
At first it was thought that those were the supporters of the suspects but against all odds, the group whipped out an AfriForum banner and placards against granting bail to the suspects.
More than 30 people picketed with posters and sang, “We are tired of criminals and we know that there are people out there who know what happened. We are fed up with criminals in our community.”
The six accused Messrs Christopher Mokoena, Mpo Malebane, Matthew Letswalo, Berhet Mashele, Stanen Mphahlele and Thapelo Ntimane, aged 20 to 35, appeared in court for house robbery, attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm – a schedule-six offence.
When court proceedings started, the lawyer for the accused, Mr Komojo Nonyane, said the suspects did not want to proceed with the bail application.
The magistrate, Mr Ricardo Cloete asked them if this was true to which all replied that they indeed wanted to proceed with the application. Nonyane proceeded to call the first of the six witnesses to explain to the court why they should be granted bail.
Four of the six were asked whether they would be a flight risk, if they would interfere with witnesses, whether they have ever travelled outside the country and if they would be a threat to the community. All four answered “no” to all the questions.
One of the suspects, Mokoena, even said the community would be happy if he should receive bail to which Cloete asked whether he was aware that there was a protest outside court opposing their bail. Mokoena said those protesting outside were probably farmers and their workers to which members in the jam-packed gallery shouted, “No, no, no!”
Cloete reprimanded the gallery audience and said no laughing or comments would be allowed while the court was in session. He then asked him if he saw one supporter in the gallery to which Mokoena pointed to a man in a red shirt. The state prosecutor,
Mr Dan Phiri, said he wondered if this supporter wasn’t there out of pure ignorance.
Phiri then peppered the suspects with various questions relating to the said day and their arrest. Two suspects said they had been forced by police to make these statements to which Phiri again pointed to various holes in their versions.
All four suspects’ appeal for bail was based on financial reasons varying from cellphone and clothing accounts, to being the sole bread winners in their family. They said they could only afford R500 bail each.
Phiri more than once asked them whether this was their only reasons for applying. “Although you are in custody, they (family) are still alive and did not die of starvation. You also don’t need a cellphone account to be granted bail.”
The court session ran out of time before the last two witnesses could be questioned. Cloete said the bail application would be postponed until November 18. The suspects remain in custody until then.
