On May 27, members of the public sat packed like sardines in the C-court of Witbank Magistrates Court, eagerly awaiting the latest developments in the case of the SBV robbery which took place on April 27 here in eMalahleni.
Individual affidavits were handed in by some of the accused.
“This is not a trial, it is an enquiry to determine if enough evidence is present to grant bail,” said Magistrate Wimpie van Zyl.
The Magistrate began hearing the defence.
Advocate Potgieter representing four of the 10 accused made a request regarding contents of the docket, requesting that the state prosecutor, Mr Alfred Grobler grant limited access to statements and documents in the police docket that incriminate his defendants.
“We have supplied the accused with their statements and confessions. The state is not prepared to hand over to the accused, the statements not made by the accused,” said Grobler.
Court was then adjourned for a short period as the magistrate considered the bail applications.
The magistrate returned to court, explaining that due to time constraints he would not give full reasoning behind his decision regarding the application made by the defence of the four accused.
“Court has denied the application to information,” said the magistrate, who then asked if the defence of accused one, two, three and five would stand down.
The defence of the sixth accused read out a statement declaring that the accused suffered from cancer, and put forward a bail application that bail be granted so that the accused may attend his chemotherapy sessions, a certificate was then handed to the magistrate depicting that the accused should have gone for a doctor’s visit the day of the court appearance.
Advocate van Rensburg stood and spoke, this time on behalf of a man in his late 50’s. “My client turns 60 on Friday your worship,” said van Rensburg who then read a confession, whereby his client admitted to having involvement in the later stage of the robbery.
“My client was approached by some people carrying bags of money, he was asked to keep it safe and to distribute some of it, he had no further involvement in the robbery that took place, and has offered to testify on behalf of the state,” said Van Rensburg.
This was accepted by Magistrate van Zyl who adjourned the court, postponing the bail applications for May 30, awaiting the statements of the four of the 10 accused represented by advocate Potgieter.
The 10 accused will remain in custody.
The 59-year-old man, knowing he had done wrong sunk his head into his hands in dismay, he was reassured though by fellow accused that it would be okay.
