No bail for suspected dagga peddler

Lindiwe Mozola | Wednesday September 21, 2016 17:19

 

Appearing before Palapye magistrate Gofaone Mosweu, Dlamini failed to convince the court as to why he should be granted bail recently.

 Mosweu ordered that the accused be remanded in custody until the next mention when the terms of his bail will further be discussed based on the police report that is yet to  establish the substance in question that is also in police custody.

 Dlamini was arrested on September 5, near Martin’s Drift border gate after police found a suspicious looking substance, which is yet to be weighed and established if it is indeed dagga, stashed in his vehicle’s dashboard.

During his bail application, the accused noted that he has no intentions to disrupt police investigations in any way, but indicated that there was a pressing matter that needed his immediate attention. “Back home schools have just been re-opened and I have not paid for my three children’s school fees’, which if I am not given bail will take away the right to education of innocent children. I will abide by the rules of the court and return as soon as I have managed the situation,” he said. 

Asked by Mosweu what confirmation he makes that he will not defy the means of justice, Dlamini said: “My car and passports are in police custody therefore I will have to come back for them hence the confirmation that I will not defy the means of justice”. 

Prosecutor, senior superintendent Nthusang Bante of Palapye noted that there is nothing binding the accused not to defy the means of justice if given bail on reasons that the accused is a foreigner, who has no family ties in the country. 

Also he has no permanent place of abode, which they are yet to establish if the assets set as a confirmation by the accused are his more especially the motor vehicle in question. 

“We are afraid that if given bail the accused may not attend trial due to the above-mentioned reasons. Therefore, on the next mention we will be able to come with a complete report of whether the vehicle in which the substance was found in, is the accused’s car.  Also if the substance found in the car was indeed dagga as suspected by the Investigating Officer (IO),” Bante argued. 

On another matter, an alleged car thief Andrea Chaka, 28, has pleaded guilty to the offence. Chaka, who is a taxi operator, is accused of stealing a Toyota Corolla amounting to P38,970, belonging to Tshaote Ramontle on August 20, 2009 after he violently stole it from the owner’s relative Thabo Ramontle. 

Moses Serojane represented the state in this matter while the accused’s attorney was not present during court session.