The magistrate said the State has so far presented a frail case against the eight accused police officers and there was haste to bring the case before court.
ALL EIGHT members of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s VIP protection detail were released on R10,000 bail each in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning.
In delivering judgement on the eight’s bail application, Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe remarked that the State had not managed to prove that it is the eight police officers who sent a threatening message to one of the witnesses – the person who recorded the video.
“The (bail) applicants are ordered not to contact the State’s witnesses in any manner whatsoever or use other people to contact them,” Mkhasibe warned the police officers.
She said the eight had strong family and economic ties in South Africa and they had surrendered their passports to the authorities.
The magistrate also remarked that the accused police officers do not know the complainants in the matter – the people they allegedly assaulted last month.
The matter was postponed to September 27 for further investigations.
Last week, the police officers, through their lawyers, tried to convince the court to release them on bail because they work in the police services, and they submitted that they were not a flight risk.
The eight police officers attached to Mashatile’s security detail were recorded while allegedly assaulting civilians on the N1 highway in Johannesburg on July 2.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) last week opposed the bail application of the eight.
“We sighted the threats that were sent to one of our witnesses and therefore we are opposing their release on bail for all eight accused persons, citing that the lives of the witnesses of the State in this matter are at risk should they be released,” said NPA Gauteng spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane at the time.
The eight police officers are: Shadrack Kojoana, Johannes Mampuru, Pomso Mofokeng, Harmans Ramokhonami, Phineas Boshielo, Churchill Mkhize, Lesibana Rambau and Moses Tshidada.
They all pleaded not guilty and face 12 charges, including assault, malicious damage to property, discharging a firearm, contravening the Road Traffic Act, reckless and negligent driving and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
The eight suspects are accused of assaulting a motorist and two passengers who are attached to the SA National Defence Force (SANDF).
In court on Tuesday, the eight were hiding their faces with masks, hoodies and jackets.
Last week, advocate Elize Le Roux, reading an affidavit from the investigating officer, said that three of four people attached to the military who were off duty on the day of the assault and driving in a Volkswagen Polo were assaulted.
The driver of the Polo, upon seeing a black car behind him, thought they were being hijacked.
The affidavit read that the driver feared being hijacked and continued driving as he witnessed the car behind him and someone brandishing a firearm.
He also remembered being boxed in by two cars. One man banged the glass with a firearm, but he did not succeed. He then went to the back of the car, and the rear window shattered.
