The man who was caught transporting drugs worth R9 million appeared in court earlier this week for a formal bail application.
The 52-year-old Themba Mbatha was remanded in custody by the Witbank Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, March 12 following his arrest on March 4 along the N4.
He applied for bail on Wednesday, March 18.
Unfortunately by the time going to press the outcome of the bail application was not available yet.
Mbatha was arrested by Witbank Highway Patrol Flying Squad after the car drew their attention because the driver was accelerating and then reducing speed.
After Mbatha was stopped and the Mercedes searched mandrax worth R9 million was found inside the boot.
The drugs were transported from Mozambique to Gauteng.
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Leonard Hlathi said Mbatha was a parolee. He was previously arrested in 1997 for various cases including, robbery aggravating during a cash-in-transit, murder, two counts of attempted murder as well as possession of a firearm without a license and ammunition for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Pretoria High Court.
“Mbatha was then released on parole in 2018 and was due to finish his minimum sentence on February 28, 2021,” said Brig Hlathi.
R9 million suspected drug runner to apply for bail on Wednesday
R9 million drugs seized on N4 highway, suspect is parolee
