Mzilikazi wa Afrika gets bail. So what was all that about?

6 Aug 2010

Sunday Times journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika and a co-accused were on Friday, 6 August 2010, granted bail of R5000 each, and had to turn in their passports before walking free. Which at least keeps them out of jail over the long weekend, but hardly explains the events of the past two days.

After at first declining to prosecute at all, prosecutors on Friday did not oppose bail for Wa Afrika or a co-accused, who jointly stand accused of fraud. Which raises new questions and fails to answer others.

Why, for instance, did the courtroom feature policemen with bullet proof vests, pepper spray and guns? Were they for the protection of the accused? Why, if Wa Afrika is neither a risk to society or a flight risk, was he arrested on the street, handcuffed and transported hundreds of kilometres instead of being allowed to hand himself over?

And what exactly are the charges against him?

Continue reading the full story on www.thedailymaverick.co.za.

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Source: Daily Maverick

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Phillip de Wet

About Phillip de Wet

Phillip de Wet is associate editor at the Mail & Guardian. He used to be deputy editor of Daily Maverick (www.dailymaverick.co.za), its live-tweeting specialist (@phillipdewet, @dailymaverick) and the editor of First Thing, the morning email from Daily Maverick. He writes primarily on politics, business and technology, and also deals with persistent trolls.