Staff Reporter.
Suspected Parliament arsonist Zandile Mafe’s appeal against the outcome of his bail application has been dismissed.
Mafe’s defence relaunched his bail dismissal appeal at the Western Cape High Court on Monday.
A full bench of the court heard the matter where his lawyer Dali Mpofu again challenged the grounds on which a lower court dismissed his bid for bail in February.
Mpofu argued that the alleged confession given by his client was induced.
“How can anybody [or] the state say this person is not of sound mind to an extend that we have a diagnosis to it, but that very same state is saying that person is capable of making a concession,” he said.
Mpofu also argued that Mafe was not a threat to society and further criticised the state for its “inefficiencies” because his client has been in custody for five months.
Mafe was arrested on 2 January.
He first appeared in court on 4 January, and on 11 January when he expected to be applying for bail, he was referred for mental observation.
That was challenged by his lawyers, and was overturned, and he focused on getting bail.
Cape Town Regional Court Magistrate Michelle Adams denied bail, and his lawyers approached the Western Cape High Court. Judge James Lekhuleni and Judge Daniel Thulare came to a split decision, so Judge Constance Nziweni was brought to the bench.
The court has since decided to dismiss Mafe’s bail appeal application.
Mafe is expected back at Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on 9 June after prosecutor Mervyn Menigo indicated that some forensic reports were still outstanding.