Reverend Frank Chikane Apartheid Poisoning Plot Bail Hearing

• Reverend Frank Chikane is set to be questioned by the Calata Group at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cases Inquiry.
• Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi and four co-accused are seeking bail in connection with the death of businessman Emmanuel Mbense.
• Regan Collis, 23, faces four murder charges and one charge of attempted murder in connection with the killing of four people in Rieger Park.

The Calata Group is expected to question Chikane about his attitude towards their prosecution before October 2007.

The 1989 attempt to poison Reverend Frank Chikane, an anti-apartheid activist, is set to be revisited in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cases Inquiry. The Calata Group, representing 25 families of victims of apartheid-era human rights violations, will question Chikane about his attitude towards the prosecution of those involved. This inquiry has significant implications for similar cases in South African courts. The group's focus on Chikane's stance is a testament to their ongoing pursuit of justice for their loved ones. In 2007, the National Prosecuting Authority entered into a plea and sentence agreement with former Police Minister Adrian Vlok, former Police Commissioner Johann van der Merwe, Major General Christoff Smith, Colonel Gert Otto, and Johannes 'Mannie' van Staden. They received suspended or relatively light sentences for their roles in the poisoning plot. Chikane's criticism of the National Prosecuting Authority's handling of this agreement is also expected to be scrutinized.

Meanwhile, a major bail battle is unfolding at the Brakpan Magistrates Court, where suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi and four co-accused are seeking release after spending a week behind bars. They face charges of murder, robbery, and defeating the ends of justice linked to the death of businessman Emmanuel Mbense. The state is opposing bail, arguing that the accused must show exceptional circumstances for their release. Prosecutors claim that about R500,000 in cash and a welding machine were taken from Mbense during the robbery. Mkhwanazi's lawyer disputes the Schedule 6 classification, suggesting that his client could face a charge of being an accessory after the fact at most.

In another development, Regan Collis, 23, appeared in the Boksburg Magistrates Court on Wednesday after four people, including two police officers, were killed in Rieger Park last Friday. Police have described Collis as a notorious gangster, and he faces four murder charges and one charge of attempted murder. The killing of Emmanuel Mbense, who was tortured before his body was dumped at Spaarwater Dam near Nigel, is under investigation. The state has made a chilling claim about what allegedly happened after Mbense's death, including threats against anyone who betrayed the group.

Lawyers should watch for the potential implications of Reverend Frank Chikane's testimony on the prosecution and pardons of men involved in the apartheid era poisoning plot, which could have significant consequences for similar cases in South African courts.

Source: Original reporting via Murder, Apartheid Poison Plot and Bail Battles Grip Gauteng