Bail application postponed again

THE WOES of Aldridge Merrington are far from over, with the bail application for her husband, Michael-Dean, being postponed yet again.

Michael-Dean, 28, and his co-accused, Glen Cona, 20, appeared briefly in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Magistrate Giuseppe Martini postponed the hearing of arguments and delivering judgment to March 29 after Bridgette Kgopane, Cona’s legal representative, was hospitalised.

Michael-Dean and Cona are appearing in court on charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the alleged murder plot MichaelDean is believed to have masterminded.

During the application, the State presented its evidence through police officer Mario Nes of Brackendowns police station.

According to Nes, who is the investigating officer, the motivation was a hefty insurance payout due to Michael-Dean if the plot went ahead.

Nes used his 24-year career, and his role as an investigator in the serious and violent crimes unit, to lend credibility to his opinion on the behaviour of persons accused of such serious crimes.

He said that based on the nature of the crime, and the seriousness of the charges, Michael-Dean should not get bail.

He added that he believed Michael-Dean’s state of mind was unpredictable at the moment, therefore, releasing him would be a risk.

Nes added that Cona should be denied bail because he was willing to murder for money – and, therefore, showed that he could pose a threat the community and Aldridge, 31.

In his affidavit, which was read out by his legal representative before the court, Cona said he had and would continue to co-operate fully with the law, despite the position he found himself in, and that he believed the court should grant him bail for that very reason.