State says evidence suggests Thusi planned Xaba's murder
The State says the evidence before it suggests the man accused of killing Ntokozo Xaba planned the crime beforehand.
Ngcebo Thusi appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court where his bail application was postponed to 4 May.
Thusi faces charges of premeditated murder and defeating the administration of justice after Xaba’s lifeless body was found at her off-campus apartment the morning after she had been socializing with friends at her place with friends.
He was the last person she was seen with before her friends and paramedics made the grim find.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana says the State will oppose bail.
“The accused is facing a schedule six offence. Through the investigation and evidence that is in the docket, it suggests that the murder was premeditated.”
Last month Thusi’s matter was postponed to 2 June, but Mahanjana explains that he made the application during the postponed break.
“During the postponement break, he did indicate that he wanted to apply, and he did try to bring his bail application. However, the magistrate then ruled that all parties involved should be informed that the accused intends to apply for bail, hence then the matter was postponed to today.”
At the time of his first court appearance, where he abandoned bail, organisations against gender-based violence and femicide that were in court said they had noticed a trend of accused persons in cases that garner media attention initially abandoning and then trying to apply when the attention appears to have died down.
TUT student leader Sizwe Nyambi repeatedly called for the courts to deny bail, even saying if he is allowed out, he would be “killed”.
A visibly agitated Thusi avoided making eye contact with media cameras. He had initially tried to get the court to bar the media from capturing and publishing his images.
JUST IN: Murder-accused #NgceboThusi returns to the holding cells after the Pretoria Magistrates Court postponed his bail application to 4 May 2023. Thusi is accused of killing #NtokozoXaba at her off-campus apartment in February this year pic.twitter.com/RVNshDSACc
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) April 20, 2023
MAY BAIL HEARING
Thusi’s lawyer told the court that they intend to present viva voce (oral) evidence in his formal bail application next month.
When deciding on the next date for Thusi’s appearance, Magistrate Marco Richards attempted to accommodate the bail hearing to be the only one heard on the day as it is expected to be lengthy and may be delayed by other matters.
The State indicated that the investigating officer on the case had postponed his leave to attend Thursday’s proceedings and may not be available next month. However, both the state and the defence agreed to the new date.
The accused will remain in custody until his next appearance.
