ANC murder accused gets bail

A City of Tshwane employee has been granted R2 000 bail in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court for the murder of ANC member Simon Modihe.

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Pretoria - A City of Tshwane employee has been granted bail in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court for the murder of ANC member Simon Modihe.

Justice Mashola, 36, stands accused of murdering Modihe on June 19 at the Tshwane Events Centre after a scuffle between members of opposing ANC factions.

During the court appearance, prosecutor Sipho Letsoalo summarised the State's version of events.

There was an altercation between ANC members at a meeting, the purpose of which was that a mayoral candidate for the capital was to be chosen, Letsoalo said.

“There was an altercation between the two groups. During the altercation a shot was fired by the accused. He ran away. That shot was fired into the crowd and people started giving chase. The accused ran to a shop on the corner of WF Nkomo (Street) and Pilditch Stadium.

“The victim was the one giving chase and was closest to the accused,”Letsoalo said.

He said Mashola fired two shots at the victim and hit him in the thigh. Modihe was taken to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital where he later died.

“The accused then went to Limpopo. He was called by his relatives and friends telling him that he was wanted by police. He came back and then handed himself over to police,” Letsoalo said.

The State did not oppose his bail application after the investigating officer confirmed Mashola’s address and confirmed that he had been charged before, but did not have any prior convictions or pending cases. He suggested bail of R2 000.

Despite the State not opposing bail, Mashola submitted an affidavit in support of his bail application through his attorney Jeffrey Leshalabe Rahlagane.

Mashola said he was a married father of one minor child. His wife did not work and the family relied on his R9 000 gross monthly salary which he earned working as an administrative officer at the speaker's office in the City of Tshwane.

Mashola indicated he intended pleading not guilty to the murder charge. He also said that he would adhere to all the bail conditions and had fully co-operated with police and even handed himself in as soon as he heard of the case.

He said he had been incarcerated since June 28 and that it was affecting his family.

He told the court the could afford R1 000 bail.

Speaking to the media outside, Rahlagane said he believed in his client's innocence and that it was up to the State to prove his client's guilt.

Rahlagane said the State's case was weak and he did not know why his client had been charged.

He also indicated that his client did not own a firearm.

Mashola was granted R2 000 bail and the case was postponed to August 11 for further investigations.

Meanwhile, MEC for Community Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, accompanied by members of the local SAPS, visited the family of Modihe on Thursday.

Mayoral candidate Thoko Didiza, incumbent mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa and other ANC and city leaders also went to offer their condolences earlier this week.

nomaswazi.nkosi@inl.co.za

Pretoria News