Staff Reporter.
Military Veterans in the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional facility’s court during their first appearance after holding cabinet ministers hostage in Irene on Friday last week, 18 October 2021, Pretoria. Picture: Supplied.
The case against 56 military veterans has been postponed to Tuesday.
The accused made their first appearance in the magistrate’s court in the Kgosi Mampuru prison on Monday.
The State asked for the postponement so that it could confirm the addresses of the accused and whether they had any previous convictions or pending cases, submitting that it did not have enough time and resources to collect the information ahead of the accused’s bail applications.
But the defence opposed the postponement application. Advocate Dali Mpofu, SC, who is representing some of the accused, argued that the State had 12 hours to confirm the addresses.
Magistrate Bheki Ntsingila dismissed the State’s request and ordered that the bail applications should start on Tuesday.
The accused are facing five charges of kidnapping.
The group of veterans, who met with the government, is demanding millions in reparations for their role in the anti-apartheid struggle.
The group included MKMVA members, and former members of the Pan Africanist Congress’ Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA) and Azapo’s Azanian National Liberation Army (Azanla).
The police earlier reported that 56 people were arrested, however in court, 52 accused were present. One accused is still in hospital.
Outside the court, about 100 supporters of the accused sang Struggle songs demanding the release of the 56.