Julius Mkhwanazi will remain behind bars after the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court denied him bail on Tuesday in connection with the murder of businessman Emmanuel Mbense.
Mkhwanazi appeared alongside five co-accused as the court delivered its decision on their bail applications. The court denied bail to all six accused and postponed the matter until 24 November for further investigations.
The case relates to the 2022 murder of Mbense.
Mkhwanazi and his co-accused face charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating or obstructing the administration of justice. The state has opposed bail in the matter, while the accused have denied the allegations against them and remain presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The ruling comes a day after Mkhwanazi was granted R10,000 bail in a separate blue-lights corruption case. That bail did not result in his release because he was being held in connection with the Mbense matter. Ekurhuleni fleet manager Chris Steyn, who is also accused in the blue-lights case, was granted R10 000 bail alongside Mkhwanazi on Monday.
Mkhwanazi’s defence had argued for his release in the murder matter, while the state opposed the application. The bail proceedings concluded last week, with the court handing down its decision on Tuesday.
With bail refused, Mkhwanazi will remain in custody while investigations continue. The postponement to 24 November gives investigators additional time to complete their work before the matter returns to court.
The ruling means that although Mkhwanazi has secured bail in the separate matter, he cannot leave custody while the Mbense case keeps him detained. His immediate legal position will therefore remain tied to the murder proceedings, with the six accused expected back before the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court in November.