Turnbull still behind bars

Controversial former East London resident Andrew Turnbull, 41, facing a charge of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, appeared before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday to apply for bail.

The application was postponed until Tuesday for further investigation and Turnbull was returned to his custody cell.

This was confirmed by NPA spokesperson Phindi Louw. Turnbull entered the public spotlight when a video emerged showing him holding a woman in a choke-hold before tossing her aside on August 10.

A funding campaign, hosted on www.backabuddy.co.za, which was set up to help the woman depicted in the video secure medication, toiletries and visits to a dentist and psychiatrist had, in less than a week, raised more than R9,000, the website stated.

Earlier this week, senior prosecutor Yusuf Baba told the Dispatch that the state would be opposing bail.

In August, Turnbull appeared in in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, this time on charges of possessing drugs and ammunition. He was released on R5,000 bail. His next appearance on the drugs charge is on October 30.

His release was in spite of a warrant of arrest being in place since June 27 for allegedly pointing a firearm at East London resident Anthony Traub.

The failure of the warrant to be mentioned in his bail hearing was blamed on miscommunication between the NPA and SAPS.

This arrest warrant had been issued by the Beacon Bay SAPS who had had been looking for him since June 27.

On September 5, Turnbull handed himself in at the Beacon Bay police station which then declined to execute the arrest warrant.

East London police spokesperson Hazel Mqala told the Dispatch that police “were advised not to execute [the warrant] as he does not have a firearm in his name. He only has a gas pistol.”