By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape has denied University of Fort Hare’s Head of Investigations and Vetting, Isaac Plaatjies bail.
Magistrate Zwelethu Ngetu on Monday rejected the bail application of 56-year-old Plaatjies.
Plaatjies and his nine co-accused are implicated in the murders of university fleet manager Petrus Roets, the vice-chancellor’s bodyguard, Mboneli Vesele, as well as the attempted murder of the vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhele Buhlungu and his deputy, Renuka Vithal.
Vesele was gunned down in January 2022 and Roets died in a hail of bullets in May 2022.
In April this year, five suspects were arrested and charged for all these cases.
• Bongani Peter, chief operating transport officer for the university.
• Wanini Khuza, a retired supervisor of drivers at University of Fort Hare East London campus.
• Sicelo Mbulawa, a former SRC member and businessman who also provided services at the university.
• Mthobisi Khanyile, an alleged criminal from KwaZulu-Natal who specialises in stolen vehicles (SUVs and bakkies) across the border of SA.
• Mthobisi Dlamini, an alleged habitual housebreaker with over 15 housebreaking and theft cases, operating in KwaZulu-Natal mainly around Berea, Mayville and Morningside.
In May, all five were denied bail at Dimbaza Court, and Sicelo Mbulawa was granted R75 000 bail at Makhanda High Court in November after his bail appeal.
• In July, a police officer attached to Maderia SAPS Detection Services Constable, Lindokuhle Manjati, was arrested, charged and added as accused six.
• In August, Zimele Chiliza, a taxi boss in KZN and the wife of the police officer, who is an attorney, Pelisa Nkonyeni were arrested, charged and added as accused seven and eight respectively.
• In September, Thamsanqa Mgwetyana was successfully located hiding in KZN and was charged and added as accused nine.
• On 17 November, Isaac Plaatjies, the university’s Director of Investigation and Vetting Services was arrested, charged and added as accused 10.
In denying bail, Magistrate Ngetu, found that Plaatjies had a case to answer.
He said Plaatjies had failed to explain why his cell phone was the source of the murder hit list, with the names and photos of the university’s senior staff members.
The father of five, who said that he was not a flight risk, also allegedly made calls to the hitman and visited the hitman where he was accommodated before the hit on Vesele.
Ngetu labeled Plaatjies a dangerous and dishonest person and said he may interfere with state witnesses, and evidence, or put the lives of the VC and his deputy at risk.
The accused face four counts of murder, three of unlawful possession of firearms, unlawful possession of ammunition, fraud, kidnapping and two counts of recklessly discharging a firearm.