POLOKO TAU
TWO MOROKA police station constables accused of allegedly supplying suspected ATM bombers with ammunition have appeared in the Protea Magistrates’ Court.
Constables Authority Gamede, 29, and Vincent Hlubi, 35, were nabbed days after police reservist Busisiwe Mehlwana, 33, was shot dead during an ATM bombing at a Total garage in Pimville in July.
The State provided evidence of cellphone records in court during the pair’s bail application that the prosecutor, Yusuf Baba, said showed that numerous calls had been made from Hlubi’s cellphone to suspected ATM bomber Hector Mabaso, 29.
The latter was arrested together with co-accused Sifiso Shezi, 35, for the murder of Mehlwana and the ATM bombing. They have since been linked to several similar cases in KwaZulu-Natal.
Baba had previously told the court there had been “constant communication” between the two officers and the alleged ATM-bombing gang on the day Mehlwana was killed.
Gamede told the court he had borrowed Hlubi’s cellphone and had called Mabaso to raise bail money, after his arrest for drunken driving on the same night the ATM was bombed and a reservist officer killed.
He said he knew Mabaso because they hailed from the same area in KwaZulu-Natal.
The two officers were released on R2 000 bail after spending two weeks behind bars. Their case was adjourned until October 27.
Shezi and Mabaso are expected back in the same court on Wednesday, when the third accused will join them.