Court denies NPA bid

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had its application to reopen a case in the bail proceedings against an alleged Durban terror cell denied yesterday at the Verulam Family Court.

The application was brought by the state as it claimed “new evidence” had come before the court during the bail application and that the evidence needed to be tested before bail proceedings could continue.

Last Thursday, the state finalised its case for denying bail to 11 men, currently in custody, who are accused of being part of an alleged Durban terrorist cell with links to global terror group Islamic State (Isis).

The cell is accused of planting explosive devices across Durban this year, as well as attacking the Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, in May, which left one man dead.

But yesterday, state advocate Adele Barnard requested that Magistrate Irfan Khalil allowed for an adjournment to allow the state to make further inquiries into the replying affidavits submitted on Monday by the accused.

Facing stiff opposition from the defence advocates, Barnard said that on seeing the evidence presented in the various replying affidavits, they wanted to validate and provide a rebuttal to a number of the claims “in the interest of justice”.

The accused are facing schedule six offences – murder, attempted murder, extortion, arson as well as charges under South African antiterror legislation known as the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Activities Act. – ANA