The case against #OutsourcingMustFall activist Vusi Enoch Mahlangu was postponed in the Mthatha Magistrate Court yesterday in order for the state to verify his residential address and identity number.
Mahlangu, who faces charges of perjury and defeating the ends of justice, was remanded in custody until Friday when he will appear for an official bail hearing.
Delivering the ruling, magistrate Thukela MacPauzin said: “It is in the interest of justice that the state is granted the time in order to attend to outstanding issues. The postponement is granted and the accused will be remanded in custody until Friday, April 15, 2016 for a formal bail application.”
Mahlangu appeared with a shaved head wearing a PAC T-shirt, a black Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Fila jacket, blue jeans and black All Star sneakers.
As he walked in and out of court, Mahlangu looked to the gallery and raised his hand high to the Xhobani Security Services and Red Alert Cleaning workers who were in court to support the 33 year-old.
Organised crime unit detective, Captain Nceba Mdebuka, the investigating officer in the case, testified that the two days granted by the court on Wednesday to verify Mahlangu’s residential address and identity number had not been enough.
Mdebuka said Mahlangu had provided police with three different dates of births in previous cases.
“The accused also did not cooperate with me by refusing to give me the phone he was using. Those phones can help with this case,” he said.
Mdebuka said when he asked Mahlangu if he had been arrested before he lied and said only once even though he had faced three previous assault cases.
Mahlangu was never convicted in any of the three previous cases.
Senior prosecutor Thembisa Ntloko earlier said: “The state seeks a second postponement because there is still information lacking so the state cannot oppose bail without it.”
But Mahlangu’s lawyer Bayethe Maswazi had argued it would be a violation of his client’s right for the case to be postponed again.
He put it to the court that the state had enough evidence to oppose bail if it wanted instead of asking for a postponement.
“This postponement is a malicious attempt by the state to detain the accused. It is an orchestrated and a calculated attack by the state to secure a postponement by hook or crook,” he said.
#Outsourcingmustfall activist Mahlangu must still wait for bail
Mahlangu, who faces charges of perjury and defeating the ends of justice, was remanded in custody until Friday when he will appear for an official bail hearing.
Delivering the ruling, magistrate Thukela MacPauzin said: “It is in the interest of justice that the state is granted the time in order to attend to outstanding issues. The postponement is granted and the accused will be remanded in custody until Friday, April 15, 2016 for a formal bail application.”
Mahlangu appeared with a shaved head wearing a PAC T-shirt, a black Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Fila jacket, blue jeans and black All Star sneakers.
As he walked in and out of court, Mahlangu looked to the gallery and raised his hand high to the Xhobani Security Services and Red Alert Cleaning workers who were in court to support the 33 year-old.
Organised crime unit detective, Captain Nceba Mdebuka, the investigating officer in the case, testified that the two days granted by the court on Wednesday to verify Mahlangu’s residential address and identity number had not been enough.
Mdebuka said Mahlangu had provided police with three different dates of births in previous cases.
“The accused also did not cooperate with me by refusing to give me the phone he was using. Those phones can help with this case,” he said.
Mdebuka said when he asked Mahlangu if he had been arrested before he lied and said only once even though he had faced three previous assault cases.
Mahlangu was never convicted in any of the three previous cases.
Senior prosecutor Thembisa Ntloko earlier said: “The state seeks a second postponement because there is still information lacking so the state cannot oppose bail without it.”
But Mahlangu’s lawyer Bayethe Maswazi had argued it would be a violation of his client’s right for the case to be postponed again.
He put it to the court that the state had enough evidence to oppose bail if it wanted instead of asking for a postponement.
“This postponement is a malicious attempt by the state to detain the accused. It is an orchestrated and a calculated attack by the state to secure a postponement by hook or crook,” he said.
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