Murder accused Dumisani Eric Khumalo again appeared in the Vryheid Magistrate’s Court on September 1 for his formal bail application.

Khumalo is accused of murdering Thandazile Thwala on August 9.

He first appeared in court on August 12 following his arrest in connection with the woman’s death. Khumalo is accused of attacking and strangling Thwala after allegedly discovering WhatsApp messages indicating that she was involved in an affair.

Khumalo outlines reasons for bail

His legal representative read his statement from the affidavit, in which Khumalo outlined the reasons why he believes he should be granted bail.

In the statement, Khumalo denied the charges levelled against him. He further stated that he does not know the victims and complainants in the case and therefore does not have any reason or intention to harm people involved in the matter.

Khumalo also stated that he has no previous convictions and no pending cases against him.

He explained that he is a street vendor and the sole provider for his mother and his minor daughter. He revealed that he is also responsible for caring for his elderly mother, including fetching her medication from the clinic.

Protection order requires clarification

In his statement, Khumalo further revealed that his uncle had previously opened a protection order against him, but said the order was cancelled this year.

The issue of the protection order also required clarification from the magistrate, who sought further information regarding the order and when exactly it had been cancelled.

Khumalo promised to be a good citizen in the community if released on bail and agreed to comply with any conditions imposed by the court until the conclusion of the case.

State opposes Khumalo’s release

The State prosecutor then read a statement from the investigating officer, who opposed Khumalo’s release on bail.

According to the statement, the investigating officer believes Khumalo intentionally murdered Thandazile Thwala and may pose a threat to the deceased’s daughter, who is allegedly a witness in the matter.

The statement further indicated that members of the community do not want Khumalo released back into society, while people on social media have allegedly expressed outrage over the crime he is accused of committing.

Magistrate questions gaps in evidence

However, the magistrate raised concerns about gaps in the investigating officer’s statement and requested further information.

The magistrate said clarification was needed on how the deceased’s daughter is involved in the case and her role as a witness. The court also requested details about which social media platforms and comments were being referred to in the statement.

Further information was also requested on what specific harm Khumalo could allegedly cause to members of the community and the deceased’s daughter.

The matter was postponed to September 8 for further bail evidence, with Khumalo remaining in custody.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.