The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says alleged Parliament arsonist Zandile Mafe’s confession is only one element of their evidence, which they have submitted against granting him bail.
Mafe’s defence team challenged the decision not to grant him bail at the High Court in Cape Town.
Judgment was reserved in the matter, Mafe was denied bail by a lower court two months ago. His defence team have brought into question what they termed an alleged confession made by him.
NPA spokesperson in the Western Cape Eric Ntabazalila says, “The crux of our position is that the accused, through his lawyers has not brought anything new, has not argued that the magistrate was wrong, in terms of the facts and the law in taking that decision. We still believe that the accused does not deserve to be released on bail.”
Mafe’s appeal matter against the refusal to grant him bail heard at the High Court:
Mafe’s defence team says exceptional circumstances exist, which are sufficient grounds to grant him bail.
Mafe’s attorney Luvuyo Godla says, “You can’t bring a medical practitioner to make an opinion, correctly or incorrectly, but he made an opinion. The time was after 10 in the morning and his opinion was that this person is not someone who can understand what he was doing. He has a mental problem and at 12:15, less than two hours later, again someone is administering a confession and remembering.”
