Khekhe’s ‘cronies’ seek bail
THE alleged henchmen of the so-called criminal kingpin Vusi “Khekhe” Mathibela will wait until Friday to find out if they will be granted bail.
Elias Skhosana and Stemer Monageng appeared alongside Mathibela in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday. They face charges of intimidation and extortion. It is alleged that they demanded protection fees from Mamelodi business people.
Skhosana and Monageng, who were arrested on March 8, in their affidavits told the court they did not have to be kept in police custody for justice to be served.
They both informed the court that they were willing to attach their millions worth of properties as security.
Lawyer Solomon Mkhabela said his client Skhosana’s release would not threaten his safety or the safety of the community, and it would therefore be unnecessary to keep him locked up any further.
Monageng’s defence Mpesi Makhanya said his client was also not a threat to society and had 46 employees in his businesses. He argued that his client was needed out of police custody to oversee his businesses.
Monageng was also the breadwinner in his family and was taking care of some his youngest children, eight grandchildren, and three of his unemployed siblings and an aunt.
Makhanya argued that his client should be released as he had no intentions to interfere with police investigations.
However, Skhosana and Monageng were a bit disappointed when magistrate Desiree Stigling told their lawyers that she was postponing the matter to Friday.
The suited men had already been smiling and talking with their backers behind them in the gallery. Eventually they conceded to their attorneys that they could remain in police custody until Friday, when Stigling would be available again.
Unhappily, Makhanya and Mkhabela had been complaining about postponements and accusing the National Prosecuting Authority of coming to court unprepared to deal with bail since their clients appeared in court.
Yesterday, they said Stigling’s limited availability had not been communicated to them, and they were given the impression that the bail hearing would be finalised by end of the day.