Kimberley - Three men, who allegedly terrorised local residents in Masiza Street in White City, appeared in a packed courtroom on Tuesday and were denied bail by the magistrate because their lives might be in danger.
A fourth person, who allegedly killed a resident in the same street, is due in court on Wednesday morning.
The three men, accused of smashing the windows of two vehicles with rocks and golf clubs, will remain in custody until their residential addresses have been verified.
The accused, Morgan Masang, Prince Ndlovu and Brian Molele, appeared in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of malicious damage to property.
Community members gathered outside the court building and packed the courtroom to capacity, calling for bail to be denied.
“The accused are not local residents and have brought violence into our streets. They were in the company of the man who allegedly murdered Otisile Motimela.”
Motimela was beaten to death over the weekend.
“The deceased was assaulted with spades, pangas and golf clubs. He was such a pleasant person who was always helping others. He did not deserve to die in such a cruel manner. We are all family in White City and his death appears to be premeditated,” residents said outside the court on Tuesday.
The legal representatives of the accused confirmed that they were permanently employed by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and resided at the Diskobolos army base just outside Kimberley.
Galeshewe magistrate, Conrad Prinsloo, however, denied requests from the defence not to keep their clients incarcerated at Kimberley Correctional Service until their next court appearance tomorrow due to possible threats to their safety.
He pointed out that they were “ordinary prisoners” whose circumstances did not warrant being accommodated in single cells at the Galeshewe Police Station.
Prinsloo stated that the court needed information pertaining to the nature of the employment contracts of the accused.
“Before a bail application can be considered, the SANDF commander must confirm in writing whether the accused are employed on a contract basis, if they will be transferred at any stage and when they might leave Kimberley.
“We also need to verify if the addresses provided exist, while the police also need time to establish if there is a connection between the malicious damage to property and the murder charge.”
The investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Olebogeng Moshageng, opposed bail as he needed to establish whether the malicious damage to property charges were in any way linked to the murder that was committed on the same day.
He added that the accused had supplied their addresses as being in Witbank, Carltonville and Hazyview.
He indicated that he would need seven days in which to confirm their residential addresses.
The legal representatives of the accused said that they have been employed for a number of years in Kimberley, where their contracts with the SANDF would only come to an end in the next three to five years.
They added that the accused had supplied the police with their respective places of birth although they were permanently based in Kimberley.
Legal representative for Masang, Hanri Verwey, objected to the postponement.
“It is a misunderstanding between my client’s physical address and place of birth.”
She believed that it was her client’s right to apply for bail.
“I will obtain written verification of his address within 48 hours.”
Legal representative for Ndlovu, Chwaro Kgotlomang, stated that his client had no pending or previous convictions.
“He has been living in Kimberley for the past four years.”
He pointed out that the malicious damage to property charge was separate from the murder charge and his client had not been implicated.
Legal representative for Molele, Simethemba Mzuzu, added that the case had yet to go to trial and that if there was evidence that the charges were related, it could be joined at a later stage.
“My client has no previous convictions and has been working in Kimberley for the past four years. A bail condition can be set whereby the accused are prevented from going to Galeshewe.”
The suspect arrested in connection with the murder of Motimela is expected to appear in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
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