Pitch Black Afro, accused of murdering his wife Catherine Modisane, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's court to apply for bail. Picture: Dimpho Maja / African News Agency (ANA).
Rapper Pitch Black Afro, real name Thulani Ngcobo, who stands accused of murdering his wife, has been denied bail at a hearing at the Johannesburg Magistrate Court on Monday.
The magistrate, Paul du Plessis, told Ngcobo that while the court did not have a mandate to decide on whether or not he was guilty, there would be no bail as “so far there is no finding of exceptional circumstances”.
Ngcobo will remain in custody until April 12, when the trial date will be set.
The rapper has now been behind bars for nearly three months.
He last appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate Court at the end of January, where his bail application was postponed.
The state needed time to respond to a supplementary affidavit submitted by Ngobo’s defence lawyer.
Ngcobo has been charged with premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice for the alleged killing of his wife, Catherine Modisane, at a bed and breakfast lodge in Yeoville on December 30 last year.
At his last court appearance, the magistrate indicated that he would make a ruling on the bail application, but had been unable to as the defence had failed to prepare relevant affidavits on time.
“The matter has been postponed to 31 January for the state to respond to Ngcobo’s lawyer supplementary affidavit,” said Du Plessis.
Dressed in a black jacket, a pair of blue jeans and sporting a new hairstyle, the accused smiled and appeared relaxed at the Johannesburg Magistrate Court, despite the serious charges he faces.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Background reporting, ANA)
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