Suspect begs for lifting of 'harsh' bail term

PATRICIA MAGANU
Staff Writer | Friday April 13, 2007 00:00

'I am granted bail but I find the condition too harsh. I am supposed to pay P32,000 to get bail but there is nowhere I can get P32, 000,' he said. Nkhwanana told the court that he was an orphan and getting P32,000 is impossible for him.

 

'I am a Motswana by birth and there is no way I could abscond. I will surrender my travel documents to Tatitown Police Station and I will report to the police everyday,' he promised. 'I further submit that the law states that I am innocent until proven guilty,' he said. Magistrate  Thato Mujaji refused the application maintaining that her initial ruling on the bail still stands.

 

'If you meet the bail conditions you will be out of custody,' she said. State prosecutor Inspector Mokone Mokone said that the accused has failed to meet the bail conditions and so he should be kept in custody. When he was slapped with the condition, two months ago, he told the court that  he would not raise P32,000 and he had a child to take care of.

'I won't be able to pay P32,000. I'm staying with my mother and I have a child whose mother has passed away,' he said.

 

Nkhwanana is charged with stealing a Toyota corolla worth P64,000 belonging to Zenzo Nyathi. He is said to have had an accident in the stolen vehicle and got the injuries evident on his face. The trial date is yet to be set.