Thulsie twins still behind bars
TERROR CHARGES: DEFENCE INSISTS ARRESTS UNLAWFUL Brothers’ lawyer is pressing to free them before matter even gets to bail hearing.
Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie, the twins charged with contravening SA’s 2004 terrorism act, may have to wait behind bars until October for their bail hearing if their defence team fails in its continued bid to challenge the men’s arrest.
Picketers called for a fair trial and bail hearing for the terrorism-accused Thulsie twins outside the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The South Gauteng High Court denied the twins’ urgent application this week, in which the defence sought a review of the ruling which denied their first attempt to challenge their arrest. Their lawyer, Annelene van den Heever, is pressing on with her bid to free them before the matter even gets to a bail hearing.
While the 24-year-olds maintained that the state had no reasonable grounds to suspect them of planning terrorist acts, the National Prosecuting Authority insisted it had a strong case against them, including ties with extremist group Islamic State (IS).
The two were arrested after a Hawks raid at their homes last month, along with two other suspects, charged with illegal weapon possession. Details of the raid and subsequent arrests have been at the centre of the Thulsie twins’ affidavits, in which they claim to have been treated unfairly and unlawfully by police.
Ronaldo Smith, a friend of the brothers, tried to retract a statement he said he was forced to make by police last month, but the state used it as an integral part of their case. In it, Smith alleged that he “knew” about alleged plans by Tony-Lee to bomb the US embassy, but tried to talk him out of it.
The NGO representing the family of the twins, Cage Africa, has criticised the manner in which the brothers were arrested which, it has claimed, was conducted unlawfully. –