Armed robbers ring leader denied bail

The alleged armed robber, through his lawyer, Mr Kholwani Ngwenya of TJ Mabhikwa and Partners, filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court seeking bail pending trial.

Bulawayo High Court judge Mathonsi dismissed the application.

He said Muleya was a flight risk given that he has a history of assisting border jumpers to illegally cross the Limpopo River into South Africa.

“In our law it is a ground for refusal of bail if the administration of justice will be prejudiced by the release of an accused person on bail. By his own words the applicant has been engaged in illegal Justice Nicholas border jumping where he actually helped others cross the border illegally. He has therefore shown to be a no respecter of borders even when facing criminal charges,” said the judge.

Justice Mathonsi said there was no guarantee that if granted bail, Muleya would not abscond.

“He certainly has not discharged the burden of showing that it is in the interest of justice that he be released on bail. I conclude that the applicant is not a good candidate for bail. In the result, the application for bail pending trial is hereby dismissed,” ruled the judge.

Muleya, in his grounds of appeal, said he had no motivation to abscond since he was married and owns a house in Dulivhadzimu suburb in the border town. He argued that there was nothing linking him to the alleged offences committed between August 15 and September 15 this year.

The State alleges that on August 15 this year at a dust strip near Limpopo Lodge in Beitbridge, Muleya, who was in the company of his three accomplices, two of whom are still at large, intercepted a motorist at gunpoint.

They allegedly robbed the complainant of his car and $62 and left him tied to a tree before driving off in his car.