Smiling accused threatens mother of child he is accused of killing

“Grant him bail. Grant him bail. We want to deal with him.”

A crowd of both ANC and EFF supporters urged a Soshanguve magistrate hearing the murder case of ex-convict George Shapo to grant him bail during his appearance on Friday morning.

But the demonstrators weren’t there to support Shapo – they were baying for blood.

“Grant him bail. Grant him bail. We want to deal with him.”

Shapo, 60, made his third appearance on Friday. He faces a charge of murder.

Many of the people in the gallery were angered when Shapo told them he was coming, emphasising his point by signalling his return with his index finger.

Shapo later told Noncebo Mkhize, 22, who was seated near the door where suspects are led into the court, that he was coming.

Mkhize, who looked puzzled, didn’t respond to the threats by the man accused of killing her six-year-old daughter Mbali last month.

This angered the crowd, who bayed for his blood.

They shouted that they would pay his bond should the court grant him bail in order to later deal with him outside.

Members of the public order police who were also inside the court calmed the crowd.

Shapo looked relaxed and kept on smiling before his case was postponed to April 3.

He was wearing black short pants and a black jacket, the same clothes he had been wearing since his first appearance.

Mbali was last seen on December 21, allegedly in the company of Shapo.

She was reported missing at a local police station on that day after she failed to return home.

Her young friends later reported that they had seen her walking away with Shapo.

It is alleged that he strangled Mbali to death.

Two days later, Shapo allegedly confessed to the police that he had killed Mbali and led police to a stream of water, where her body was found.

Family spokesperson Calvin Makgeru said they were disappointed that the wheels of justice were turning slowly.

Makgeru said they wanted the case to be dealt with speedily to allow the family to find closure while still healing.

Police earlier said Shapo has two previous convictions for murder.

However, during his first appearance, Shapo only told the court that he had two previous convictions – one for murder and another for theft of a car.

He said he was released on parole in 2012, after being sentenced to 25 years in jail for murder in 1990.

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