Staff Reporter.
The bail application of the six men charged with the murder of Gauteng Department of Health whistleblower Babita Deokaran has once again been postponed – this time due to technical issues with the courts recording system.
Deokaran, 53, was gunned down while sitting in her car outside her home in Winchester Hills on 23 August. She had just returned from dropping her children off at school.
The six suspects alleged to have been involved in the Gauteng health official’s murder will remain in custody.
The suspects were due to appear at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court for their bail application.
In a statement, the Department of Justice (DOJ) previously said that courts had been manually recording proceedings but that electronic recording in most districts had been restored.
Shafique Sarlie, who is representing all six men, told the court that he had explained the problem the court was facing.
“The applicants say they have been in custody for some time, and they have a right to be heard, they have a right for their bail application to proceed,” Sarlie said.
He said that they had prepared a 400-page bundle for the bail application, which would be conducted via affidavits.
Meanwhile, the state has indicated that it intends on bringing an application to have certain portions of the bail application heard in-camera. This would mean that the media and public would not be allowed inside the courtroom.
“As the state, we will be bringing an application to have in-camera proceedings for certain portions of the bail application. That application is not yet before the court, the content of the application has not yet been presented before the court, and therefore it cannot be shared with the media,” said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane.
Phakamani Radebe, Zitha Radebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Siphakanyiswa Dladla, Simphiwe Mazibuko and Sanele Mbele are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The murder is suspected to be a hit as Deokaran was a key witness in the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU’s) investigation into corruption involving a R300 million personal protective equipment (PPE) tender.
It has since been reported that the Hawks have identified a senior ANC official as a person of interest in the murder. It is alleged that this official ordered Deokaran’s murder.
The bail application has been set down to be heard next week Tuesday and Friday.