/ 15 September 1998

No bail hearings yet for Faure suspects

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Maputo | Tuesday 4.30pm.

A DATE for bail applications has yet to be set for druglord Rashied Staggie’s bodyguard, Graham Greentree, and Hard Living’s gang co-leader Roland Olince, who were arrested in connection with an arms theft at the police armoury in Faure in the Western Cape in June.

Greentree and Olince, together with five others including Kraaifontein police Sergeant Ben Collins, are being held for stealing 20 R5 rifles, 12 R1 rifles, 18 shotguns, nine Z88 pistols, stun and lighting grenades and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

The other suspects being held for the burglary are Abdul Ganief, Ricardo Adams, Hannes Erasmus and Daniel O’Connel. Ganief, who was refused bail last month after a protracted hearing, has meanwhile lodged an appeal.

Papers filed at the Kuils River Magistrate’s Court alleged that magistrate K Meyer erred in ruling that Ganief was a danger to the public, and that his continued custody was in the interests of justice. The papers also claim that the magistrate was wrong in ruling that there was a possibility that Ganief would interfere with, or intimidate, state witnesses. Ganief’s counsel, Wallace Roux, said the magistrate’s reasons had already been forwarded to the attorney-general’s office and a high court date for the appeal was still to be fixed.

All seven suspects are scheduled for a further remand appearance in the Kuils River Magistrate’s Court on November 19.