Six of seven accused in Malalane CIT heist granted bail
The bail hearing of the seven accused finally came to a conclusion 14 days later after the Hawks had opposed the bail application in the Tonga Magistrate's Court.
Six of the seven accused in the cash-in-transit heist (CIT) near Malalane were granted bail of R5 000 each in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court today, October 3.
The accused granted bail are Bhekifa Ngwenyama (30), Lawrence Lubisi (44) and Musa Vilakazi (38) as well as three police officers attached to the White River flying squad: Sunday Mashego (39), Collen Nonyane (44) and Bhekinkosi Goddi (39). The Tanzanian national and seventh co-accused, Ali Ebrahim (24), abandoned bail.
According to a joint media statement by the National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga and the Mpumalanga Hawks, the court found that there are exceptional circumstances that permit the accused to be released on bail.
The hearing stretched to 14 days as the Mpumalanga Hawks had opposed the bail application as previously reported.
The six accused were granted bail on conditions that they must attend the court case until the matter is finalised and must not interfere with the state witnesses.
“The court further ordered the accused to report to their nearest police stations every Friday between 06:00 and 18:00,” said the statement.
The seven accused are charged with five counts of attempted murder, three counts of stolen property, possession of firearms, possession of ammunition, malicious damage to property, possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit crime.
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They were arrested in connection with the CIT heist that took place on the R570 towards Schoemansdal, outside Malalane, on August 11.
“A group of men ambushed a Fidelity armoured vehicle with a Mercedes-Benz C Class. The suspects rammed the cash van, which overturned. It is alleged that security guards were forced out of the vehicle and high-calibre rifles were used on the scene, where one security officer was disarmed. The cash van was then bombed.”
The matter has been postponed for further investigation and the accused will appear in the Malelane Periodical Court on December 6.
The provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Nicholas Gerber, said the investigation is ongoing and the team is pursuing two wanted suspects, Zola Martin Mnisi (29) and Mpendulo Absima Hassane (31), who are sought by the Hawks after they were linked through fingerprints to the crime.
“It was established that Mnisi is linked to other serious crimes such as a CIT heist and murder of a Fidelity security guard in a case in KaBokweni; and another CIT heist and murder of a G4S security guard in a case in White River.”
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Gerber requested anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mnisi and Hassane to contact the investigating officers, Lieutenant Colonel Erhard Stroh on 082 300 8315 and Warrant Officer Albert de Lange on 071 481 2815.
