Bail ruling in child drug video case set for Friday

The four, including the child's mother, appeared before the Johannesburg Regional Court on Monday, facing charges of child abuse and attempted murder.

The woman and her three male co-accused were arrested in Newclare, south of Johannesburg, after a video of the minor lighting and then smoking a substance out of a bottleneck went viral on social media.

In court, the mother and two others abandoned bail, while accused number two, who was allegedly responsible for taking the video, continued with the bail application. 

The Newclare councillor, Marilyne Smouse, told the SABC that there is no way of telling what the community could do to accused number two, should he be released on bail. 

She stressed that the court should deny the accused bail.

“What I didn't like about that attorney is that he kept on saying he (accused number two) was not a threat to the community. Yes, he may not be a threat, but he spoke about a community that did nothing on the day of his arrest because we are a law-abiding community, but there is no promise  that nobody will do anything to him,” Smouse

“I know the frustration of the community because we have on a number of times been standing outside the court screaming ‘no bail’."

Smouse explained that the community members were not instigating any violence; however, there are feelings of anger towards the accused. 

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