Chicco gets R2 000 bail

LEGENDARY muso Sello Twala, wellknown as Chicco, has been released on R2000 bail.

He was arrested this week on allegations of assaulting and pointing a firearm at a City Power electrician at his Bloubosrand, Randburg, home.

Twala appeared at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday for bail proceedings. The State did not oppose bail because Twala had no outstanding cases and the magistrate granted it.

The 59-year-old yesteryear hitmaker claimed he pointed a toy firearm on Sunday at a man he thought was a cable thief. He was arrested on Monday, which saw him spending a night behind bars.

Michael Sun, Joburg’s MMC for environment and infrastructure, yesterday condemned what he labelled a violent attack on a City Power technician.

“Whilst the technicians were working, a resident approached one technician and threatened him with violence should the team continue with their work,” he said. “The resident went on to attack the technician and pointed a cocked pistol to the technician’s head to force him stop working.”

City Power workers were in Twala’s neighbourhood to attend to a power outage. Sun said the technicians were forced to run for their lives following Twala’s “irrational violent behaviour”.

“The technicians fled the scene fearing for their lives and the outage remains unresolved,” added Sun.

Preliminary police investigations appeared to lend credence to Twala’s claim that he was armed with a toy gun.

Phindi Mjonondwane, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said Twala faced charges of pointing something that resembled a firearm and common assault. “…Twala allegedly charged at one of them (technicians), strangled him and pointed at him what resembles a firearm,” she said.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Twala sought to relate his arrest to the case pertaining to the murder of Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.

Twala took flak from many that he had a hand in the extended delay in resolving the case. The married Meyiwa was shot dead at the Vosloorus home of his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, in 2014.

Twala claimed his arrest was evidence that he had no power to influence the police. “For me, my arrest is a blessing and victory to (prove) to my haters that I am not above the law, and no police or judge will protect me if I commit (a) crime,” he tweeted.

He will return to court on August 26.