Man accused of stabbing Pretoria homeless people bids for bail
By JAMES MAHLOKWANE 
Dec 3, 2019
Manusi Mothupi, 40, returned to the dock yesterday to continue his bail bid in front of a full gallery.
He is charged with attempting to murder two homeless people in Muckleneuk.
His arrest in July attracted huge interest, with many believing that he could be linked to the deaths of five homeless people in the city.
The victims were bludgeoned and stabbed multiple times near Magnolia Dell Park, east of the city.
Their deaths sparked fear in the homeless community and prompted widespread calls for justice.
A high-profile investigator, who obtained a court order not to be named in the media due to the nature of the cases he handled, argued that the accused should be prosecuted.
He was initially suspected of stabbing one homeless man, but investigations linked him to another case.
The investigating officer said he was concerned about the safety of the victims, who still lived on the streets.
He said the accused may opt to finish what he allegedly started should he be granted bail.
With media covering the case, he argued that bail should not be granted for Mothupi’s own safety.
He said some community members who may be emotionally attached to the case may look for the accused and hurt him.
However, the accused's lawyer argued that his client should be released on bail to stay in his Ga-Matlala village home in Limpopo.
This was despite the investigating officer's argument that his Ga-Matlala home was too far from a police station.
The accused's family member said Mothupi was a good man who didn't commit the crime.
They accused the police of shoddy work from the beginning, saying they wanted someone arrested to turn off the heat following the killings of the homeless people.
A source in the SAPS told Pretoria News that the police had witnesses who saw the accused allegedly commit the crime.
The source said one of the victims suffered stab wounds to his body and was now disabled.
The court will give a ruling on Mothupi’s bail bid next Monday.
Pretoria News