Man accused of killing Nelspruit deputy sheriff abandons bail
Hendry Dlamini has abandoned his bail application, amid cheers and applause in court and outside. He will remain in police custody until his next appearance in December.
The man accused of murdering Nelspruit deputy sheriff Michelle Jones (31) and injuring her partner, Julio Baumgat, abandoned his bail application when he appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, November 8.
The suspect, Hendry Dlamini (32), will now remain behind bars and is expected to make his next court appearance on December 13.
Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority’s spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, said the matter was postponed for further investigation.
Dlamini is alleged to have shot Jones and Baumgat in Nelsville on the night of October 20.
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Baumgat sustained six gunshot wounds to his right arm and was critically injured.
The couple were rushed to hospital following the shooting, where Jones was pronounced dead.
Soon after the incident, the police arrested a 35-year-old man believed to be in Dlamini’s company during the shooting, while Dlamini handed himself over at the Nelspruit Police Station on October 25.
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He appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court the next day, when Jones was laid to rest by her family.
Close friends and family of Jones arrived at the court on Tuesday morning, Dlamini’s bail application. Several members of the ANC Women’s League, carrying posters, some with photos of Jones, protested against Dlamini’s bail.
According to Jones’s family members, who wished not to be named out of fear for their safety, the courtroom erupted into cheers when it was announced that Dlamini would be abandoning his bail application.
“The day went well. The court proceedings were in order. It is unsatisfying to see criminals set free after such gruesome and inhumane acts. Justice must prevail,” said one member.
