Cop on rape, murder rap denied bail
April 9 2012 at 02:50pm
By Anelisa Kubheka
By Anelisa Kubheka
Supplied
A Durban policeman, who allegedly murdered his daughter months after being accused of raping her, was denied bail at the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Simo Mgobhozi is alleged to have shot and killed 14-year-old Nontobeko on March 1 in front of her mother, Zinhle Khuzwayo, in Z-section, uMlazi.
In January, Mgobhozi was released on bail after he had been arrested and charged for raping Nontobeko, who was eight months pregnant when she died.
The girl’s grandmother, Maria Khuzwayo, said the family was relieved that Mgobhozi had been denied bail.
Magistrate Nosipho Cele said the interest of justice did not permit Mgobhozi’s release on bail despite his plea to the court that his job depended on his release and his promise to abide by any bail condition set down by the court.
“Unfortunately the court is not convinced and is of the view that if the applicant is granted bail he will not abide by any conditions set. There’s no real reason why he breached his first bail conditions, there was no emergency that he had to go to the deceased’s house.”
She said the exceptional circumstances that Mgobhozi presented to the court for him to be released on bail seemed “ordinary”, and witnesses would not be safe if he was released.
“Already the process of his disciplinary hearing seemed like they had already began. It is therefore apparent that the fate of his job does not rely on the outcome of his bail but on the outcome of his disciplinary hearing,” she said.
The matter was adjourned to May 3.
