Coffin assault duo loses SCA bail bid

Convicted coffin assaulters Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Jackson have lost another court battle to be released on bail, pending their application for leave to appeal their convictions and sentences.

“The applicants’ application for leave to appeal the refusal by the court below to grant bail is dismissed on the grounds that there are no reasonable prospects of success and there is no other compelling reason why an appeal should be heard,” the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruled today, News24 reports.

Oosthuizen and Jackson approached the SCA for leave to appeal the refusal of their bail application after they were sentenced last year.

However, the court said it was not in the interests of justice that the pair be released. The appeal matter is likely to be heard later this year.

The SCA said counsel on behalf of both the applicants had conceded that race was a factor that impacted on the case.

The two were granted leave to appeal in February after the High Court, sitting in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court, dismissed their application for leave to appeal in October 2017.

– Citizen reporter

ALSO READ: Coffin accused re-sentenced because of ‘error’

For more news your way, follow The Citizen on Facebook and Twitter.