Additional charges for heist accused
A FORMER ANC Luthuli House staffer, who is facing armed robbery charges related to a cash-in-transit heist, has now been charged with attempted murder.
This emerged yesterday when Errol Velile Present, who was fired by the governing party last month, appeared with his three co-accused in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court. State prosecutor Paseka Tameli told the court that the four faced charges of attempted murder, as well as possession of suspected stolen vehicles.
Present’s co-accused are Zakhele Zondo, Itumeleng Manama and Bheki Biyela.
The charges relate to an incident last month, at a mall in Dobsonville, Soweto, where the State alleges the four “forcefully” robbed a G4S cash van and shot, and critically injured, one of the guards.
But defence lawyers, acting for the men, said they were surprised by the additional charges and asked Magistrate John Baloyi to grant an order to allow them access to the State’s docket so they could better prepare for the bail application – which the State opposed.
Present’s lawyer, Ben Modumaela, said that he didn’t know why his client was charged with possession of suspected stolen vehicles.
Nthabiseng Mohomane, legal representative for Manama, said her client’s right to a fair trial would be infringed if she was not granted access to the docket.
Brighton Hlayisani Taula, acting for both Zondo and Biyela, also requested access to the docket.
Tameli countered the lawyers’ plea for the docket, saying the State would call the investigating officer to tell the court about the case’s contents, for the magistrate to decide on whether to grant bail or not.
The case was postponed to Friday.