Baiden Scheepers’ bail application under scrutiny

Lebowakgomo Police Cluster Commander Lediga Mashilo is expected to engage in a meeting with the senior prosecutor of the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today (Thursday) to discuss reasons why one of Polokwane’s most wanted suspects, Baiden Scheepers was again released on bail on Friday.
This was announced by Mashilo during a community meeting on Tuesday evening in Ladanna. “Several cases are being withdrawn against Scheepers and the court needs to explain why,” he said.
Transport and Community Safety MEC Dickson Masemola expressed his concern about the case and said Scheepers continuously finds ways to dodge the justice system. “The case is priority and we want to see justice. It cannot go on like this, it is unacceptable,” Masemola said.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo is also awaiting a report from the prosecutor in the Scheepers case following the R500 bail he was granted.
This follows an inquiry directed to NPA Limpopo Communications Manager Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi by Polokwane Observer pertaining to information received regarding alleged previous convictions in the matter. Malabi-Dzhangi said she would only officially comment once provided with the report.
The R500 bail that Scheepers and his accomplice Lourellee Huang were granted caused quite a stir among concerned community members and law enforcers. During his bail application the state prosecutor indicated that Scheepers had no previous convictions and only one pending case against him.
Scheepers and Huang appeared on charges of possession of suspected stolen property and housebreaking equipment. Scheepers simultaneously appeared on a pending case of vehicle theft. Both these cases will be heard again on 28 October.
During the bail application the state called investigating officer Calvin Koko to oppose bail by indicating that Scheepers had pending cases against him. Presiding magistrate Janine Ungerer explained that pending cases are those on which an accused has already appeared before court.
The defence argued that Scheepers had only one pending case with no previous convictions and that he was not regarded as a flight risk. The two accused were subsequently granted bail with a warning from Ungerer to Scheepers: “You must be careful. The Police are waiting for you. You should try to walk the straight and narrow.”
Scheepers and Huang were arrested in their hideout in Church Street about two weeks ago.
Scheepers’ brother, Aiden appeared in the same court recently on charges of alleged assault of his girlfriend in Westenburg in March this year and theft allegedly committed at an overnight accommodation establishment in Ladanna in August this year. During Aiden’s last court appearance he was remanded in custody and the case postponed to 15 October.

Story: RC Myburgh
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