Durban — Taxi owner Samkelo Lucky Zondi, 34, who faces murder and attempted murder charges relating to a shooting incident outside Pinetown police station was denied bail in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
According to the State, the deceased in the matter had been with other occupants in a blue car parked outside the station in October.
The men were eating lunch inside the car when a grey Mercedes-Benz parked opposite them and two gunmen alighted and opened fire.
It is further alleged that one of the occupants managed to get out of the vehicle, while another occupant inside returned fire. Zondi was identified as the driver of the assailants’ vehicle by a witness.
Zondi faces three other counts relating to possession of ammunition as well as a prohibited firearm.
The court heard that Zondi was out on bail for another murder charge that allegedly took place in February. In the alleged offence in the pending case against Zondi, he also faces charges of being found with two firearms as well as ammunition.
In his bail application ruling, Magistrate S B Ngcobo said that after carefully going through the submissions made by the State and Zondi’s defence, he had concluded that Zondi had failed “to adduce exceptional circumstances to my satisfaction justifying his release on bail”.
Ngcobo said the release of Zondi would not be in the interest of justice.
Ngcobo had heard Zondi’s bail application on Wednesday and had adjourned the matter for his decision to Friday, saying he needed time to carefully apply his mind before making a ruling.
Daily News