'I know what's waiting for her outside' - IO opposes Meek's bail
Bail proceedings in the case of Tiffany Meek continued in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday afternoon.
Meek is accused of killing her 11-year-old son Jayden-Lee at their Fleurhof residence, west of Johannesburg, in May this year.
She was arrested earlier this month and charged with murder, crimen injuria, and obstructing the administration of justice.
Her lawyer, Novel Naidoo, cross-examined the investigating officer, who had taken the stand for a third day.
READ: IO rubbishes Meek's claim she was 'framed' for son's murder
Naidoo focused on Meek's alternative address in KwaZulu Natal if the court granted her bail.
"Is there any correspondence between my office and yourself where the accused, while she was being formally charged, requested or supplied an alternative address, insisting that if bail is granted, she wants to go and relocate to KZN and live with her father?"
The IO denied Naidoo's assertion: "Not that never happened."
"So, when you objected to bail yesterday, it was on the basis that the accused wants to relocate to KZN, and it wouldn't be feasible for you to monitor her, especially when it comes to the signing of bail conditions?"
Naidoo stressed that the accused's mother's home is available as her bail address; however, the officer also stressed concern for Meek's safety due to public outcry.
"Is it your evidence that we're living in a society where civilians who are accused, who are innocent until proven guilty, are not safe to return to society because of the fear that they might be killed?"
The officer denied this: "That is not my evidence."
He, however, said that he feared that the accused may be attacked, harmed, and killed by those angered by her alleged actions.
"Given the reasons I outlined in court yesterday, I understand that she is not safe because people have had the outcry they've had. So, I can't say it's good for her to be outside because I know what's waiting for her outside.
"I'm not saying, with the public outcry, I will always say that a person can't be outside. But for her safety, it's not safe for her to be outside."
Meek previously told the court she could afford bail of R5000.
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