Former University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) student leader Mcebo Dlamini will appear in the high court sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where a ruling will be made on his bail appeal.
On Tuesday, the court heard from Prosecutor Steven Rubin that Magistrate Albertus Roux was right to deny Dlamini bail because he had “lied” under oath.
However, Advocate Dali Mpofu, for Dlamini, said the move to deny his client bail was “politically motivated”.
Dlamini, 30, faces charges of public violence, theft, malicious damage to property and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following his arrest at his Wits residence in October.
Rubin argued that the ruling by the magistrate was correct and said that Mpofu was ignoring Dlamini’s theft charges. Rubin said the investigating officer’s affidavit indicates that said Dlamini stole police riot gear.
At the bail hearing in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court, it was argued that releasing Dlamini would be not be in the interest of justice because the evidence before the court proves that the accused would not be able to maintain peaceful protests.
On Tuesday Rubin said that Dlamini misled the magistrate’s court by saying that he was writing a test, however, it turned out that he was not registered for the subject he said he had to write.
Mpofu said that the arrest of Dlamini was a way to intimidate other students involved in protests for free education and an example of what would happen to them if they continued to challenge the State.
“Dlamini should be released on warning,” Mpofu said.
The high court ruling will be made Wednesday.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
