No bail for Tulsie twin brothers on terror charges
THE mother of the twin brothers accused of terrorism shook her head in disbelief yesterday after her sons’ bail attempt failed at the South Gauteng High Court.
Surrounded by family members Wasiela Thulsie, mother of Brandon-Lee and Tony Lee, who are accused of having links with Islamic State and plotting to blow up the US embassy and Jewish institutions in the country, sat on the bench in the gallery and listened in dismay as the State asked for their urgent bail application to be cancelled.
State prosecutor Dawie Joubert said the application was a frivolous matter, total abuse of the court and had to be struck off the roll, as Joburg Magistrate Pieter du Plessis had already ruled that the twins’ arrest was lawful.
The 23-year-old twins were arrested during raids at their homes in Newclare last month. In her argument, defence lawyer Advocate Annelene van den Heever said the Thulsie brothers’ constitutional rights had been continuously infringed upon.
She said any review into their case had to be dealt with by a single judge. But Judge Pieter Meyer said the court didn’t have the jurisdiction to deal with the case, adding that appeals and reviews had to be heard by two judges. He added that he couldn’t overturn a ruling made by a lower court. Van den Heever ultimately conceded to the matter being struck. She said her clients would look at other alternatives in appealing the ruling.
Family members outside the court said that the number of postponements had taken its toll upon Wasiela: “She’s really not well and can’t comment at this stage,” a spokesman for the family said. The brothers remain in custody.