Bail granted in makeshift court

Local businessman Schalk Abraham Steyn (48) and Limpopo game farmer Dawid Groenewald (52) and their legal teams were subject to the most unusual circumstances regarding the court proceedings last Friday.

Steyn, better known as AB to Lowvelders, and Groenewald made their first appearance in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court last Thursday following their arrest for the possession of 19 rhino horns last Wednesday afternoon.

ALSO READ: Focus on kids: Is your child a couch potato? It’s time to get them active!

The state had opposed their bail on Thursday afternoon with the magistrate postponing the application hearing to Friday, stating the men would remain in custody.

However, on Friday morning, the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court had to be closed in order to be sanitised following a positive Covid-19 case in the building.

The magistrate and the prosecutor still heard matters at the top of the court steps, postponing cases until the court would open again.

However, special arrangements between the court officials, Steyn and Groenewald’s legal teams and the police saw their application continue inside the Nelspruit Police Station.

ALSO READ: Disability only propelled him to achieve more

“China can build a hospital in a week, but we can build a courtroom in a day,” said Groenewald’s legal team in a joking manner as police officers and court officials set up a desk and chairs in an open backroom of the station.

With the impromptu courtroom set up, the magistrate heard that the state would not be opposing the accused’s bail and that it would be set at R50 000 each with bail conditions.

The court heard on Thursday that bail was opposed due to the police needing to confirm residential addresses as well as to put together a profile of both the accused, however, the magistrate said the investigating officer would only need a day to do so, postponing the case to the next day.

On the Friday, at the station, they were released on condition that they report to their local police stations once a week and that they do not communicate with any witnesses.

Steyn was also made to hand over his passport to the investigating officer as part of his bail conditions. Groenewald had already handed his passport over to the police as part of his bail conditions in a case he had appeared in court for in 2010 and is still pending.

ALSO READ: Trial for three accused of murdering Hetta Potgieter to start early next month

The attorneys for both the accused thanked the presiding magistrate for facilitating them under such extraordinary circumstances.

The two will make their next appearance in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on September 17.

Steyn’s attorney, JJ Venter, had initially said they would be willing to answer questions posed to Steyn, but later instructed Lowvelder that they had been advised against it.

“We will simply wait for the law to take its course now,” said Venter.

ALSO READ: SANParks and Greater Kruger partners to strengthen their anti-poaching approach