Durban: The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) in KZN is disappointed by the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court’s decision to grant R1 000 bail to a woman who allegedly hired hitmen to kill a K9 unit police officer Sergeant Siyabonga Radebe in uMlazi last month.
Siphindile “Danah” Sithole, 34, was granted bail by magistrate Asheena Bacharam, although the state advocate Dumisani Nxumalo and the Hawks investigating officer, Detective Warrant Officer Gonasagren Padayachee, had vehemently opposed it.
The state had raised concerns about the safety of the witnesses if the suspect was released but her attorney, Andile Dakela, successfully convinced the court that his client was not a flight risk and would do nothing to interfere with witnesses.
The defence’s strongest point was that the suspect had no passport, was employed by eThekwini Municipality and had three children to look after. The case was postponed to July 28 for further investigation.
Popcru KZN spokesperson Richard Mamabolo told the Daily News that the union was disappointed with the court’s decision to grant a mere R1 000 bail to a person suspected of masterminding a police murder.
He said his union had pleaded with the government that police killings shouldn’t be treated as simple murders because attacking the police equalled attacking the state.
“It is clear to us that our pleas for justice to refuse bail in police killings have fallen on deaf ears. We proposed that charges of treason should be added to the people suspected of killing our members. This is a schedule six offence which means the suspects had sat and planned it before executing it so we expected that the court would not be so lenient to the suspect.”
The deceased officer’s brother, Phelelani Radebe, said: “It is shocking that a person who allegedly orchestrated my brother’s killing could be released for R1 000 bail. It is disappointing and even the investigating officer didn’t call to inform us.”
Sithole is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in that she allegedly hired hitmen to assassinate K9 unit officer Sergeant Siyabonga Radebe in June.
Sithole was arrested by the Hawks. Alleged hitman Nhlakanipho Bright Zulu died in a shootout with police.
It’s alleged that during level 5 lockdown in March last year, Radebe arrested Sithole after she was found with alcohol she was selling without a licence. Sithole allegedly plotted his murder over this.
The Daily News