DURBAN - SEVEN soldiers accused of helping to smuggle stolen vehicles across the border have been denied bail.
Rapula Reuben Maidi, Edward Lepokola, Bulelani Danti, Ludwe Gwedashe, Thembani Mjelo, Marks Funeka, Peter Thato Namane appeared in Musina Magistrates Court sitting in Louis Trichaardt yesterday.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in Limpopo, said Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, they were arrested in June for allegedly crossing smuggled vehicles to Zimbabwe.
She said in denying them bail, the court indicated that there are no exceptional circumstances adduced by the applicants in their application for bail as the offence fell under Schedule 6.
"During the bail proceedings, the applicants did not testify and filed affidavits in support of their bail applications. The prosecution, in opposing led the evidence of the investigating officer and three other police officers," she said.
Malabi-Dzhangi said the police officers testified that they have received a message that the accused are planning to escape from custody, they are arranging to hire a sangoma to eliminate the investigating team and the prosecutor.
"The accused persons were using their mobile phones and later rented mobile phones from the employees of the SAPS who are working at the cells for R100.
It is alleged that from 16 - 20 June 2019 to 24 February 2020 the suspects accepted a bribe of R15 000 to allow stolen vehicles to cross the border to Zimbabwe," she said.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) received information about SANDF members who were assisting vehicle smuggling syndicates to smuggle suspected stolen vehicles through the Limpopo River.
The Hawks and the military police in joint operation managed to arrest the suspects.
The case was postponed to 1 September for further investigations and the suspects will remain in custody.
IOL