Hawks captain released on bail

Cape Town 111221- Esmerald Bailey accused of selling police uniforms and ammunition leaves magistrate court after her bail was succesful.Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Caryn/ Cape Times

Cape Town 111221- Esmerald Bailey accused of selling police uniforms and ammunition leaves magistrate court after her bail was succesful.Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Caryn/ Cape Times

Published Dec 22, 2011

Share

Hawks captain Esmerald Bailey, accused of selling police uniforms and ammunition, has been released on bail under strict conditions.

Bailey, 43, who faces a corruption charge and who was the investigating officer in the high-profile Baby Jordan Leigh Norton case in mid-2005, was on Wednesday granted R10 000 bail in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.

When Bailey walked out of the court building, she gasped as photographers ran after and surrounded her.

She did not say anything to reporters.

Bailey’s co-accused, Waleed Hendricks, 25, was also granted R10 000 bail, but his family could not afford this and late Wednesday it was understood he was being detained in Pollsmoor Prison.

Earlier on Wednesday when Bailey first appeared in the dock, unlike during her previous appearances, she was wearing make-up and looked confident.

She smiled and mouthed words at reporters.

But as proceedings continued Bailey, who suffers from bipolar disorder, appeared to become increasingly nervous.

On Monday the State had said it planned to oppose Bailey and Hendricks’s release on bail. But yesterday State prosecutor Faith Jasone-Twala said the State had perused the case docket, consulted the investigating officer and had decided not to oppose their release.

She suggested Bailey and Hendricks be granted bail of R15 000 each.

Jasone-Twala said Bailey had no previous convictions, but had a pending matter, regarding the negligent loss of a firearm dating back to September 2002, in Somerset West.

This matter was postponed to January 25.

Jasone-Twala said Bailey had a fixed address.

She suggested Bailey be released on condition she report to the Elsies River Police Station on a Monday and Thursday, notify the case’s investigating officer if she intended leaving the province and did not communicate, directly or indirectly, with State witnesses and Hendricks.

Jasone-Twala said the State witnesses were Eugene van Rooy, Alvin Bester and Reza Allie, Bailey’s 20-year-old daughter. Bailey’s attorney, William Booth, said she would be staying with her parents in Elsies River along with Allie.

He said it was therefore unfair that Bailey be prevented from communicating with Allie. Booth said he felt the bail amount of R15 000 was too high.

Jasone-Twala then amended Bailey’s bail conditions saying Bailey would be allowed to communicate with her daughter, but they should not discuss the case.

Jasone-Twala suggested Hendricks, who had previously been convicted of possession of dagga, be released on bail under similar conditions to Bailey, but Hendricks’s attorney, Mahdney Arnold, said his client could only afford R3 000.

Magistrate Frederick Louw then granted both of them bail of R10 000.

Bailey and Hendricks were arrested two weeks ago.

Hawks spokesman McIntosh Polela had said an agent allegedly bought unlicensed ammunition from Hendricks for R4 000 and Hendricks then allegedly pointed out Bailey as the person who supplied him with the ammunition.

Polela said when police had arrived at Bailey’s flat in Brooklyn, two known Kensington gangsters had been there. The case resumes on March 1. -Cape Times

[email protected]

Related Topics: