The bail application of Muziwendoda Kunene, the man caught up in the African National Congress hoax email saga, was abandoned in the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Kunene’s counsel Imraan Haffagee — while sitting in a dimly lit courtroom following a power failure — told the court that he had not received necessary further particulars to apply for bail.
Magistrate Allan Cowan postponed the case of attempted murder to January 15.
The case arose when Kunene was arrested in Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal, after his 24-year-old son laid a charge of attempted murder against him in November. Kunene allegedly shot his son in the ear.
The court heard that Kunene was to be taken to Bethlehem in the Free State where he was to appear in court on charges of kidnapping, murder and two counts of fraud relating to the October murder of Balito estate agent Lynne Hume.
Following court proceedings, Haffagee said: ”We requested further particulars so as to apply for bail and to finalise the charge sheet, which we didn’t get. In light of that, he [Kunene] would rather apply for bail once all the charges are known.”
Police then took Kunene to Bethlehem in the Free State, where he will be kept in Kroonstad Prison until his court appearance.
Kunene’s wife, Belinda, and his pastor brother Bongani were present during court proceedings.
Said Kunene’s brother: ”We are coping by God’s grace … we don’t know when he’ll appear in court in the Free State; we’re just in the dark.”
He added that he did not know the whereabouts of Kunene’s son. ”I have not seen him since July,” he said.
National police spokesperson Captain Dennis Adriao said: ”He will appear in court tomorrow, [Tuesday] on charges of murder together with other charges.”
In a separate matter, Kunene also stands accused under the Intelligence Services Oversight Act of withholding information from the inspector general of intelligence. He also faces a separate charge of fraud relating to the same case.
The saga involves fake emails between ANC leaders, discrediting ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma. The emails allegedly implicated senior ANC members in a conspiracy against Zuma and ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe. — Sapa