Junior Blue Bulls player Ngcebo Thusi's bail bid for allegedly murdering Ntokozo Xaba delayed
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TUT student murder suspect Ngcebo Thusi appears in the magistrate’s court for bail hearing. Picture: Jacques Naude/African News Agency(ANA)
Pretoria - Junior Blue Bulls player Ngcebo Thusi's attempt to be released on bail today has been temporarily delayed by a week due to broken court recording machines.
Thusi, 23, appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court earlier today to challenge his continued detention as he awaits his day in court for the alleged premeditated murder of his ex-girlfriend, 21-year-old Ntokozo Xaba.
Xaba, a third-year student in Integrated Communications at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), was found dead in her room with stab wounds to her neck on February 2.
The hopeful Bulls player, Thusi, was hauled before the courts and charged with murder and defeating the administration of justice for his alleged role in the brutal murder of the Xaba.
He was also the last person to be seen with Xaba at her student residence, Ekhaya Junction, in Pretoria Gardens.
As the opposed bail application was due to begin, the state prosecutor, Mashudu Nembulunge, told the court that he had been informed by the clerk of the court that the court's recording machines were not working or recording proceedings.
He said, at this stage they had no indication when the machines would be operational or if another courtroom could be made available.
Nembulunge said a number of regional courts were experiencing a similar problem as of Monday as well.
Legal defence for Thusi, advocate Bopape, agreed for the matter to be postponed for a week later.
Thusi initially abandoned his bid for bail following his appearance in court on February 13, with a courtroom packed with friends, family, and fellow students from the university.
Tut Student Representative Council President Sizwe Nyambi, speaking outside court during his appearance in February, threatened that should Thusi be released on bail, students would not fear taking matters into their own hands.
‘’Women and children are being killed like chickens, and the government is doing nothing; they have no plan, so it's up to us as activists and students to stand up and fight. That is why I said if he is released on bail, we will kill him,’’ Nyambi said.
Although the main matter was postponed for further investigations to June 2, Bopape indicated that Thusi wished to apply for bail before that date.
The bail application was postponed to May 24.
The Star