�Fake� South African cops granted bail

Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday March 17, 2015 13:53

 

Basupi granted bail to Donald Nyoni, 38, and Solomon Zithu, 37, both from Johannesburg, on condition that they each pay P3,000, produce two sureties who shall each pay P1,000, surrender their travel documents and report to Francistown police once a month.

The two have also been ordered not to interfere with police witnesses and attend court whenever required to do so. Inspector Semakaleng Mazibane said that investigations in the matter are still continuing.

The state alleges that the two worked together and arrested one Menje Phiri on February 11 in Francistown. During the accused’s initial appearance in court, Mazibane applied for the accused to be denied bailsaying investigations in the matter were still ongoing.

Mazibane said the investigating officer in the matter was leaving for South Africa to ascertain if the accused are South African cops or not. Yesterday, Nyoni pleaded with the court to grant him conditional bail saying his family is suffering because of his incarceration.  “I am a family man with children who are going to school. My children are suffering since there is no one looking after them.

“I am sorry for what happened. I also do not think that the investigating officer will find any information relating to the charges I am facing,” he said. Zithu also pleaded with the court to grant him bail saying his mother was hospitalised without any caretaker.  In his testimony, Nyoni said they had been following a Tanzanian man who had used his sister as a drug mule. Nyoni said his sister had since died after swallowing drugs.

He claimed they took Phiri to a police station for questioning. On arrival at the police station, he and his friend Zithu were instead arrested and charged with impersonating the police. “What can we take from him? All I want is information about my sister’s death,” Nyoni told the court during his bail application. Zithu said he merely accompanied his friend. The accused will appear in court on March 30.