- The Protea Magistrate's Court has postponed the bail application of one of the police officers accused of killing Nathaniel Julies.
- Sergeant Vorster Netshiongolo's was meant to bring a fresh bail application based on "new facts".
- He and his co-accused were previously denied bail.
The bail application of the third accused in the killing of 16-year-old Nathaniel Julies outside his Eldorado Park home was postponed in absentia on Thursday.
Sergeant Vorster Netshiongolo, 37, who was not present during court proceedings, was meant to bring a fresh bail application based on "new facts" before the Protea Magistrate's Court.
The matter was postponed due to lack of water supply in the court building. The accused's new attorney, Onke Maseti, also needed to familiarise himself with the matter and obtain transcripts.
The matter was postponed to 29 October.
UPDATE: Nathaniel Julies murder case: Acc 3, V Netshiongolo was expected to bring bail application on new facts before Protea Mag Court today.
— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) October 15, 2020
Bail application postponed in absentia to 29 October,due to lack of water supply in court building & for new attorney to come on record
Netshiongolo and his co-accused - Sergeant Simon Scorpion Ndyalvane, 46, and Constable Caylene Whiteboy, 23 - were denied bail in September.
At the time, Magistrate David Mhango said releasing the accused could cause more unrest among Eldorado Park residents, who were demanding justice.
He said:
Mhango also said some witnesses were present in the police vehicle when the deceased was shot and killed.
He added that the State's case against the accused was "very strong".
"If convicted, life imprisonment could be imposed against the accused," he said.
"There is [the] likelihood that Ndyalvane would carry [out] his threats against Whiteboy. Whiteboy will be safe from Ndyalvane if she is kept in prison. [The] community is angry because of the conduct of the accused.
"The community demands answers [as to] why an innocent and an unarmed teenager was shot and killed [by police]. Their release will disturb public peace and public order policing. This is demonstrated by the level of anger in the community," the magistrate added.
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