Five Rhodes University students who spent the weekend behind bars on separate charges ranging from assault to malicious damage to property have been released after briefly appearing in the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court today.
A recommendation by state proescutor Navadia Adriaan to magistrate Ntsoki Moni that Vuyisani Sigingqi and Teboho Mahapi, both 22, be released on warning for the alleged early morning assault of three campus security guards fell on deaf ears and they were ordered to pay R1000 bail each.
Although the two have been at the forefront of recent #FeesMustFall protests, it is not known whether the alleged assaults were related to calls to transform higher education.
A third student, Noxolo Nfocwa, 23, was arrested later on Saturday for allegedly assaulting a policewoman after students marched to the local police station demanding the two men's release.
She was released on warning
Two other students, Benjamin Trollope and Kgalaletso Moerane, both 20, were arrested after a small group of students allegedly smashed windows on campus on Friday night were each released on R1000 bail.
All the students were ordered to be back in court on November 30.
The students were separately represented by local attorney Basil Williams.