Angry residents made their presence felt in and outside the Johannesburg Magistrate’s court during the bail application of a suspect dubbed the balaclava man on Wednesday.
They protested against a man (25) who was wanted by the police for over two months for terrorising Jeppestown, Troyeville and Belgravia residents.
The EXPRESS recently reported that the man would break into properties in the early hours of the morning with his friends, while the occupants were sleeping.
They would instruct their victims to lie down and then they would ransack the house. They would take cellular phones, watches wallets, money and sometimes rape female victims.
They also shot and killed a man in one of the properties.
The Jeppe SAPS made a breakthrough when they arrested the suspect on May 3. He appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on May 5, facing charges of house robbery, rape, murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm.
“The case was postponed to May 12 and his bail application was postponed on May 28. Residents who marched to the court said they wanted to make sure the man was not granted bail. We are opposing bail for a person who does not belong in our society. He is facing numerous charges. He shows no remorse,” said Ms Thecla Samuels, one of the residents who attended the court proceedings.
Warrant Office Richard Munyai, the Jeppe SAPS communications officer, said the bail application was postponed.
“His legal representative failed to arrive at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. He will appear in court again on June 25. There were no incidents reported during the protest,” said W/O Munyai.
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