Byline:Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
31 January 2024
Jabulane Nkosi’s reappeared at the Evander Magistrates Court on Monday, 13 January 2025 for his formal bail application.
Nkosi has been in custody for a period of more than a year in connection with the alleged murder of his 10-week-pregnant girlfriend.
During his bail application, petitions were submitted by the state with signatures of community members who were against the release of Nkosi on bail.
The defense argued that the signatures on the petition could have allegedly been collected from Shoprite parking lots.
Furthermore, the defense alleged that the investigation officer in the matter had threatened Nkosi relatives who were to accommodate him after his arrest.
The court granted that the said relatives be summoned to court.
One cousin testified before court that she was never threatened by the investigation officer, but she only refused to accommodate Nkosi after she was informed of the reasons why he was in custody.
The cousin further testified that it was her first time seeing Nkosi physically in court, as she had never met him before.
The other relative could not testify as it was reported the defence was not before the court.
During closing arguments, the defense told the court that Nkosi cooperated with the police at the time of his arrest and that he stayed near the police station, which would make it convenient for him to seek refugee from the police should the community becomes a threat to him.
In sentencing, the court found that should the accused be found guilty, he will be sentenced to a minimum of life imprisonment.
The court concluded that the fact that the accused cooperated with the police during his arrest and that he stayed near the police station does not constitute circumstantial evidence.
The court denied the accused bail.
The matter has been transferred back to the high court for trial on the 17th of February in Delmas.