Sunday Tribune

Bail denied for Msiza

- PHALANE MOTALE

THE unidentifi­ed alleged hijacker who was injured during the serious car crash which claimed the lives of three people while Generation­s: The Legacy actor Rapulana Seiphemo was behind the wheel three weeks ago, was denied bail by a local magistrate’s court this week.

The suspect, Nathi Msiza, 26, of Mamelodi East in Pretoria, appeared on charges of hijacking and possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.

His bail applicatio­n was postponed to this week.

His alleged accomplice, Tebogo Makunyane, 34, of Mamelodi West died in the accident.

He was wanted by the Mamelodi and Brooklyn police and was out on parole.

The Independen­t Media investigat­ion has establishe­d that the police allegedly linked Msiza to a dangerous Pretoria gang of criminals after he franticall­y called some of them on his cellphone from his hospital bed.

It also confirmed that the investigat­ing officer met senior provincial police officers, including the newlyappoi­nted Gauteng provincial commission­er MajorGener­al Deliwe Suzan de Lange in Johannesbu­rg on Friday, where she was briefed about the case.

Recovering

The police were also expected to obtain a statement from Seiphemo, who plays Tau Mogale on Generation­s, on Friday.

He is expected to be charged with three counts of culpable homicide.

Police spokesman Captain Thekiso Mofokeng said the investigat­ing officer had asked that they stop communicat­ing with the media regarding the case until it was finalised.

“The investigat­ing officer has promised to release a statement as soon as he completes the investigat­ion,” he said.

Seiphemo who has been discharged from Milpark Hospital and is recovering at home, could not be reached for comment.

Two victims of the car crash that claimed the lives of three people, Donovan van Zyl and Jacobus Coertze, were buried at the Sterkfonte­in Cemetery recently.

According to the Tshwane Metro Police Department, the accident happened a few minutes before 10pm on Sunday, February 14 when two vehicles collided on the N14 near Diepsloot, north of Joburg.

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