Under the white hot lights of television film crews and the frantic fluttering of camera shutters, Nthuthuko Shoba faced the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court for his renewed bail application, 26 April.
Fingered by the confessed murderer of Tshegofatso Pule, Muzikayise Malephane, Shoba is making a second application to be released on bail after what he and his council believe is new information that warrants a reconsideration of his circumstances. Shoba’s employment was recently terminated and they feel if he was granted bail, he would be able to rescue that situation and earn a reprieve from his employers.
For nearly two hours, the opposing councils traded professional blows in attempts to either keep the accused in custody, or grant him temporary freedom before his trial. The defence focused their argument on Shoba’s willingness to assist investigating officers as well as his status as a family breadwinner. The defence claimed that Shoba’s assistance in obtaining CCTV footage of him and Pule at his Florida residence is evidence that he is not looking to deceive the court or abscond in any way.
The state’s prosecution countered with their belief that this current bail attempt was simply a rehashing of old information and was not enough to release a person accused of a schedule six offence. Mention was also made of call logs, text message exchanges and witness accounts of Shoba and Malephane socialising, which paint a picture of suspicion but which the defence rebukes as not being any proof of guilt.
The matter has been postponed to 7 May when the court is expected to make a decision on the bail application.
