By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Boksburg Magistrates Court has granted bail in the sum of R30 000 to suspended Deputy EMPD Chief Julius Mkhwanazi and City Manager Kagiso Lerutla.
Both the accused made their third appearance in court on Friday following their arrest last weekend.
Mkhwanazi and Lerutla face charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice, linked to an alleged R400,000 identity-swap scheme dating back to Lerutla’s 2019 arrest for speeding.
The State also told the court that Lerutla was involved in a fatal traffic incident, where he is accused of crashing into another vehicle, resulting in the death of the driver.
The State claims he later paid a tow truck driver to dispose of the body.
The docket for that case went missing, with the state currently in the process of reconstructing the docket.
Additionally, an affidavit deposed by the murdered Marius van der Merwe – Witness D – alleged that EMPD members and private security officers murdered a man April 2022 at the behest of Mkhwanazi.
Bail arguments concluded with State insisting their release would not be in the interest of justice. And Judgement was reserved on the matter.
Magistrate Emmanuel Magampa in his ruling on Tuesday, said the State’s argument that the accused will interfere with investigations and witnesses cannot be considered in isolation.
The court ordered that Mkhwanazi and Lerutla surrender their passports to the state, adding that they are not allowed to contact directly or indirectly the witnesses.
“The court has considered that, other than the normal bail conditions, both applicants must surrender their passports to the state before being released on bail,” Magistrate Magampa said.
The matter has been postponed to May 13, when it will proceed in the regional court.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the court ruling.
“The NPA respects the court’s decision and will review the outcome while remaining steadfast in its commitment to prosecute the matter diligently and present a strong case in the interest of justice,” said NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
Meanwhile the City of Ekurhuleni has appointed Tsholofelo Koopedi as the acting City Manager following the arrest of Lerutla, while Mkhwanazi remains on suspension.