Six men arrested for allegedly killing Babita Deokaran resume bail bid

The bail application of six men accused of killing Gauteng health department whistle-blower Babita Deokaran is expected to continue in the Johannesburg magistrate's court on Friday.

Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Phinda Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Siphakanyiswa Dladla will all be back in the dock.

Legal representatives for Dladla and Mazibuko are expected to read their affidavits in court and give reasons why they should be released on bail.

The state is expected to present its arguments on why the six should not be granted bail.

On Tuesday, during the bail application, Hadebe dropped a bombshell in his affidavit, alleging he was tortured by police into confessing that a hit on Deokaran was ordered by former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize.

Mkhize responded by issuing a statement saying he was shocked that his “name had been dragged into the case of the men arrested in connection with the murder”.

He instructed his lawyers to write to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) “to investigate the circumstances surrounding the extraction and acceptance into evidence of the reported ‘confession’ whose value could only have been to cause him political embarrassment”.

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