Six syndicate accused denied bail

SIX OF the eight accused alleged to be members of a criminal syndicate that has been defrauding members of the public by impersonating law enforcement officials, were denied bail in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The six accused – Trevor Mohapi, Andrew George, Wouter Viljoen, Maloba Chimboyo, Luthando Mangaliso and Andre Pillay – will remain in custody until their trial starts after their bail application was turned down by Magistrate Pauline Coollen yesterday morning.

However, their co-accused, Isak Cupido and Jan van der Westhuizen, were released on bail of R1 000 each and instructed to return on Monday, April 23, after the court ruled that their release from custody was in the interest of justice due to their failing health and absence of pending court matters, respectively.

The eight accused are facing an array of charges including fraud, extortion, kidnapping and impersonating a police official. According to the State, there are more than a dozen dockets against the accused.

While 10 arrests were initially made in relation to these offences, charges were withdrawn against Maria Martin. The other accused, Jonas Riet, has already been sentenced to an effective five years imprisonment.

During yesterday’s proceedings, Coollen said that a host of pending matters, relating to similar charges in various courts, had been taken into consideration when reaching her decision as the majority of the accused had either previous convictions or pending matters against them.

This included Mohapi and George, who, along with Martin and Riet, were the first to be arrested on charges relating to the matter currently before the court, in September last year.

The magistrate added that the testimony of the investigating officer (IO), Warrant Officer Bongani Msuthwa, had given the court insight into how the accused could be tied to cases in Hopetown, Jan Kempdorp and Galeshewe, among others, while a photograph of five of the suspects wearing sleeveless T-shirts with the words “We Run the City” emblazoned on the breast, which was released to the media following the first appearance of the initial four accused, had resulted in additional arrests.

“In his testimony, the IO explained how the various accused are implicated in this and other pending cases,” Coollen explained, adding that the majority of the pending matters against the accused had been added subsequent to the publication of the picture.

“During this bail application, the IO also presented information and insight regarding other pending matters against the accused.

“Looking at the nature of this matter and pending matters before other courts, the applicants are fully aware of the witnesses who will be testifying.

“While the applicants cannot all be treated the same, in light of this the court has decided that bail be denied to accused one, two, six, seven, eight and nine (Mohapi, George, Viljoen, Chimboyo, Mangaliso and Pillay) who can also be linked to similar crimes,” Coollen said.

Meanwhile, despite previous convictions against him, the court ruled that Cupido be released on bail of R1 000 due his failing health and the fact that he needs to undergo dialysis on a regular basis, which was cited as an exceptional circumstance warranting his release.

With no pending matters against him, Van der Westhuizen was also granted bail of R1 000 and instructed to return to court in a fortnight.