Macia accused get bail

NINE Daveyton policemen accused of killing Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia, who were released on R5000 bail each, failed to produce the new evidence they had promised in their latest bid to get bail.

NINE Daveyton policemen accused of killing Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia, who were released on R5000 bail each, failed to produce the new evidence they had promised in their latest bid to get bail.

Yesterday, court four of the Benoni Magistrate's Court was packed with friends and relatives of the accused.

Macia died in police custody in February after being handcuffed to the back of a police van and dragged down a street in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, on the East Rand.

A postmortem revealed that he had suffered extensive bruising and deep wounds on his arms and wrists. There were bite marks on his tongue. The nine officers - Meshack Malele, Thamsanqa Ncema, Percy Mnisi, Bongumusa Mdluli, Sipho Ngobeni, Lungisa Gwababa, Bongani Kolisi, Linda Sololo and Moteme Ramatlou - were arrested this year and denied bail in March.

Police claim Macia resisted when they arrested him for obstructing traffic.

Yesterday, when the first of the accused, Malele, took the stand at the bail hearing it was hoped that he would give new evidence relating to Macie's death. But the only new information that emerged was that he had an alternative address.

Jose Nascimento, appointed by the Mozambican government to monitor the case, said Macie's father could not attend the hearing because he had no money.

Bail conditions include that the accused do not enter the Daveyton police station and should not attempt to contact witnesses. The case will continue in November in Delmas.