Alleged cop killer denied bail

File picture.

File picture.

Published Dec 18, 2015

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Brits – A Pretoria man accused of the hijacking and murder of a North West police officer was denied bail by the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Samuel Marothodi Maphanga, 23, of Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, faces charges of armed robbery and murder.

The State alleges that Maphanga and two others shot and wounded warrant officer Sipho Sithole, 48, in Letlhabile near Brits on November 14.

They then allegedly drove off with his vehicle before abandoning it in Soshanguve. Sithole later died in hospital.

The court heard that Maphanga confessed to the crime in front of his father, admitting that he was in Letlhabile on the day of the murder before pointing out the crime scene to police.

Maphanga was arrested after the Hawks went to his parents home in Soshanguve looking for him. His father made an arrangement with the police that he would inform them when his son was at home.

Testifying in the bail hearing, his father, Steve Maphanga, told the court that when his son arrived home from work he was informed that the police were looking for him.

“I made a telephone call to the police that he was home. I did not want to see many police vehicle at my place of residence. I then arranged with the police to meet at a filling station. The police came and arrested him.” Maphanga senior told the court.

Advocate Samuel Modau, for Maphanga, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail, stating that Maphanga was the only person working in his family and he risked losing his job if he remained in custody.

“It will be difficult for the accused person to find another job because he only went up to Grade nine at school. Based on his education level it will not be easy for him to find another job,” Modau said.

He said Maphanga’s life would not be at risk if he was released as his family had arranged an alternative place for him to stay.

Modau said the court should find in Maphanga’s favour as he had voluntarily handed himself over to police.

However, the State opposed the bail application, saying Maphanga’s life would be at risk if released.

The prosecution argued that the general public was still angry over police killings, and that the two others involved in the hijacking and murder would likely also attack or even kill Maphanga because they were not happy he had given police information on the crime.

The court heard that the weapon used to the commit the crime had not been found, and that Maphanga’s two accomplices were still at large.

Maphanga was expected in court again on February 5 while police gathered more information and searched for the two remaining suspects.

At least 82 police officers have been killed countrywide this year.

African News Agency (ANA)

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