The four police officers, accused of fatally shooting Mthokozisi Ntumba during a student protest in Braamfontein, have all been granted bail of R8 000 each by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
The officers – Tshepiso Kekana, Motseothata Boitumelo, Madimeja Lekgodi and Victor Nkosinathi Mohammed – were arrested by the police watchdog, IPID, just a few days after Ntuba was shot.
Ntuba was hit and killed by a rubber bullet.
Mthokozisi Ntumba’s family speaks following his killing, allegedly by police:
The state has alleged that the four officers had used unnecessary force and violence on a group of students during a protest over fees.
After spending several nights behind bars, the four police officers will return to their homes after being granted bail by Magistrate Sipho Sibanyoni.
In handing down judgment, Magistrate Sibanyoni said that it won’t be in the interest of justice to deny them bail, as they aren’t flight risks and he believes they won’t evade trial. He also stated that there isn’t any evidence that the accused will commit any crimes whilst out on bail.
They are all facing charges of murder, three counts of attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice.
Four police officers in Ntumba murder case granted bail of R8 000 each:
SAPU believes officers are not guilty
Policing union, SAPU, says they believe the four police officers are not guilty of the crimes they’ve been charged with.
SAPU’s Johannesburg spokesperson, Dorothy Sithole, says they’ll support the officers.
“We as SAPU, we are going to take care of them financially so and we make sure that each member is covered with R100 000 per case. So we will make sure we take care of them throughout the case and we going to support them each and every day because they are our members and each and every day, we are going to love them; not only when they are contributing their monies.”
‘Strong case’
The NPA has reacted to the granting of bail to the four police officers, by saying they have a strong case against the policemen. NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana says the NPA’s job is to place all the relevant information before the court.
“Well, we have said it on numerous occasions as the NPA, that ours is to place all relevant information before the court and the court will then consider all submitted evidence before the court and then the court will come to a determination in relation to the strength of the state case. As the state, ours is to give the court what we have so it can come to a decision, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the court to determine the strength of the state’s case.”
