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Julies family devastated after officer implicated in his murder is granted bail

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The family of Eldorado park teenager, Nathaniel Julies, is devastated that one of the three police officers implicated in his murder has been granted R10 000 bail by the Protea Magistrate’s court in Soweto.

Vorster Netshiongolo succeeded at his second attempt to be freed on bail based on new facts presented to the court.

Julies’ mother, Bridgette, attended Friday’s court proceedings wearing a white t-shirt bearing her child’s portrait with the words “Justice for Nathaniel” emblazoned on it. She says the whole family is devastated.

“This is not the decision that we wanted. My boy has been robbed from me. There’s been nothing taken away from them. And yet we stand here, bail has been approved. I do not know what to say anymore because I can only think about my boy that’s all I can say.”

She says this will be a difficult Christmas without her son.

“I am not at ease and not happy at all. This is the first Christmas without Nathaniel. I do not know how we going to cope because the children can’t also cope. Me as the mother, we are a destroyed family. Something precious has been taken away from us.”

Netshiongolo and two other co-accused were denied bail in September

In September, Netshiongolo and his co-accused, Simon Ndyalvane and Caylene Whiteboy, had been denied bail.

Netshiongolo is charged with being an accessory to murder, defeating the ends of justice and illegal possession of ammunition while the two other police officers stand accused of killing the 16-year-old boy and allegedly trying to cover it up.  

Netshiongolo, a police sergeant stationed at the Eldorado Park police station, south of Johannesburg, lodged a second application for bail based on new facts. In an affidavit, he told the court that he’s been suspended by the police and can’t go to his place of work. Netshiongolo says that he would therefore not be able to interfere with any evidence or the investigation. He also furnished the court with an alternative address in Chiawelo, Soweto – his parents’ home – where he’ll be staying.

His legal representative, Onke Maseti, says there is no longer an issue of interference.

“The key issue was the address. Remember at the time he was applying for bail he was still residing in Eldos and the address that was provided was Eldos. And he was still stationed there. When we brought a new bail on new facts now he was given a suspension letter and he provided an alternative address which is in Chiawelo. So outside the jurisdiction of…and the witnesses where are they based…in Eldorado Park.  So now based on that…remember there was an issue of interference, so if that fear is no longer there…can you say this person must still not get bail?”

Sergeant Voster Netshiongolo granted bail: 

The state alleges that Netshiongolo had called in sick and had been off-duty on the day Julies had been shot. The state maintains that he had assisted his co-accused to cover up the murder, a claim he denies. Netshiongolo also denies playing any role in the teenager’s death and says that he wasn’t at the scene when Julies had been shot.

The boy died in hospital on August 26th.

Netshiongolo says that Julies had already been certified dead when he visited him at the hospital and that made it impossible that he had a hand in the killing. But the state says that he had planted two 9mm rounds at the crime scene to make it appear as though a shooting had taken place.

Family reacts: 


National Prosecutions Authority, Phindi Mjonondwane says this is not the end.

“We would also like to plead with the public to allow the law to take its course. It does not mean when the accused is released on bail it signals the end of the case…NO…The accused will still come before court and stand trial. The state is busy preparing for that, the investigations are at an advanced stage. We hope that by the  January 27th, when we come back we would have concluded the investigations in preparation for trial.”

Netshiongolo’s bail conditions include that he relocates to the Chiawelo address, reports to the Moroka Police Station in Soweto on Fridays and that he not interfere with witnesses. He and his co-accused will be back in court on the 27th of January.

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