Three attempted murder accused out on bail
Three persons, accused of trying to murder a Mamelodi woman by dousing her in petrol and setting her alight, have been granted bail.
Three people accused of the attempted murder of a Mamelodi woman they allegedly doused in petrol and set alight, have been granted bail.
Now a Skierlik informal settlement resident claims to have become a target because she stood up to the accused, and fears her life might be in danger.
Julia Gabara (45), Eric Tivane (37) and Connie Manyeka (29) were arrested on September 15 in connection with the attempted murder of Maria Mokwena (36) and charged on October 19.
Advocate Anne-Marie Bendeman, the senior prosecutor at the Mamelodi magistrate’s court, said Gabara was released on bail of R3 000 while Tivane and Manyeka were released on bail of R1 000 each.
who are out on bail.
“The case was remanded to January 27, 2023, for further investigations,” said Bendeman.
A community member, who previously spoke out against the accused, claimed residents were receiving death threats because they had tried to get the court to deny bail.
“One of the accused stays near the victim,” said the community member, who would not be named for fear of victimisation.
A relative of one of the accused, Zanele Makhanya, said the family and the Batho Ratanang community of Skierlik informal settlement, were pleased that bail had been granted.
She said the family had always been adamant that the accused were not a danger to society, and were in fact law-abiding citizens who had been falsely accused.
“If bail was denied, it would have been a travesty and miscarriage of justice. The accusations levelled against them, as it would be proven in the court, are malicious and baseless,” said Makhanya.
She added the justice system was being abused by “their enemies”.
Mokwena sustained critical injuries she was attacked in the home she shared with her boyfriend, Richardsman Mdluli (40) by two women and three heavily armed men.
Mdluli previously told Record that the group banged loudly on their doors and when they got out to investigate what was happening, the group set Mokwena alight.
He said their neighbours had to use blankets to put the flames out.
Mokwena has since been discharged from the hospital.
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