Tshwane unrest murder accused Justice Mashola granted bail

30 June 2016 - 15:59 By Bongani Nkosi

ANC member Justice Mashola‚ 36‚ accused of murdering the first victim of the unrest that broke out last week in Tshwane over the party's mayoral candidate‚ has been granted bail.Magistrate Bheki Ntshingila‚ of the Pretoria Magistrate's Court‚ set Mashola's bail at R2‚000.On the grounds that Mashola was a first-time offender and had no passport‚ the state did not oppose bail.A Lotus‚ Pretoria West‚ resident‚ Mashola was arrested on Tuesday‚ after he handed himself over to police. He is facing one count of murder.This was first court appearance since the arrest. Ntshingila postponed the case to August 11.Mashola is accused of killing Simon Mollo Modihe‚ a fellow ANC member in Hammanskraal‚ two weeks ago. He is alleged to have fired the two shots that killed Modihe‚ who succumbed to his wounds in hospital.The incident happened outside the Tshwane Events Centre where ANC members had gathered to be briefed about the party's preferred mayoral candidate.Violence that broke out at this gathering spread to townships across Tshwane‚ after the ANC confirmed it had elected former minister Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate.It claimed four more lives‚ two in Mamelodi and two in Mabopane. Police said the four were killed during looting attacks.The unrest broke out because a faction of the ANC in Tshwane did not want Didiza as the mayoral candidate. They wanted incumbent mayor Kgosientso Ramakgopa to be retained.Things have returned to normal now in Tshwane.Flanked by regional leaders including Ramokgopa‚ Didiza was received warmly during a campaign trail in Hammanskraal.TMG Digital/Sowetan..

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