Former Bafana player arrested for 10th time
Racegoers break for lunch during Ladies’ Day at the Grand National horse racing festival at the Aintree course in northern England on Friday. The annual three-day festival culminates in the running of the Grand National over four miles and four furlongs (7 242m). It is the biggest betting race in the UK SPOTLIGHT: Athlete turned suspect Lebohang Morula GOOGLE the name “Lebohang Morula” and a Wikipedia entry labelling him a “retired soccer player and criminal” pops up — although police say no conviction has been registered against the former Bafana Bafana midfielder.
He has, however, been arrested nine times since 2011 — and was also arrested in 2004.
Morula, 46, who was part of the 1998 Soccer World Cup national squad, was taken into custody earlier this week in connection with the planned hijacking of a truck carrying cigarettes.
In the past four years he has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a cash-in-transit heist, murder, possession of stolen goods, a truck hijacking and possession of house-breaking equipment.
Police spokesman Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale said that following Morula’s latest arrest, five cases were being pursued against him.
Asked whether Morula was out on bail on each of the pending cases, Makgale said that information was not immediately available.
Morula has made news headlines each time he has been arrested because of his status as a former Bafana Bafana player.
However, not many people remember his soccer days.
He enjoyed two spells with Jomo Cosmos and briefly played abroad for clubs in Peru, Colombia and Turkey.
Said former Bafana Bafana player Shaun Bartlett, a teammate of Morula’s on the 1998 World Cup squad: “I can’t remember him being part of that squad, to be honest.”
Players Andre Arendse, Mark Fish and Willem Jackson could not remember him either.
But former Bafana Bafana assistant coach Trott Moloto recalled him as a “great local talent”. “He was a very quiet and very obedient young man. He was reliable and a very nice boy.”
Morula was arrested in Boksburg North on the East Rand on Wednesday and appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
He and two other men face charges of impersonating policemen and possession of an illegal jamming device. They have not been asked to plead. The case was postponed to April 20 for a bail application.
Morula was part of the 1998 Soccer World Cup national squad