3 murder suspects: reasons for no bail

MOKOPANE – EVEN if exceptional circumstances were found it would not be in the interest of justice to grant the three suspects in the murder of Charles Mgidi bail, magistrate Annalies Swanepoel said on Monday morning, when she delivered the reasons for the denial of bail following the three men’s bail hearing last Friday.

Swanepoel listed the reasons for the denial of bail to Patrick Sekhu, Samuel Matjila and Desmond Mashabane who were charged with the murder of Mgidi, who was a well-known member of the Mogalakwena Residents’ Association (MRA)

She said the fact that the suspects were well-known businessmen and the main support of many employees and their families could not be regarded as a reason to grant bail.

She said there was a chance that the lives of the eye-witnesses in the case as well as the community’s would be put in danger if the suspects were to be released on bail. As was mentioned in the hearing, one of the eye-witnesses was the neighbour of one of the suspects, she said.

Swanepoel further said it was also in the interest of the suspects that bail was denied due to the fact that people in the community had already tried to burn down a suspect’ house, and a security guard was killed.

When taking the community into account, the hearing attracted wide public attention, the courtroom was fully packed, streets were cordoned off, reinforcements were brought in by the police, the town was like a ghost town on Friday afternoon, and “I have no doubt that the release of the suspects will lead to public disorder”.

The trial was postponed to June 30.

Most of the businesses in town were affected by the hearing on Friday and closed their doors until after the bail hearing was finished.

On Saturday Mokopane was no longer a ghost town and it was business as usual.