Zululand teen denied bail in missing couple and terror cell mystery

An Mtunzini teenager who stands accused of having had a hand in the abduction and disappearance of Britons Rod and Rachel Saunders will remain behind bars until the culmination of his trial.

Themba Xulu’s application for bail was denied by magistrate Vallaraman Kathuravaloo in the Verulam Regional Court on Thursday.

The British couple‚ who have lived in Cape Town for a number of years‚ remain missing nearly six weeks after they disappeared in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Xulu‚ 19‚ and his co-accused Fatima Patel and Sayfydeen Aslam del Vecchio‚ are alleged to have kidnapped the couple‚ stolen their car and drained more than R700 000 from their bank accounts.

The latter two accused remain at the centre of the high-level terror probe‚ facing charges related to an alleged association with terror organisation Isis.

The learner‚ who was represented by Legal Aid attorney Mondli Mthethwa‚ is charged with theft‚ kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

On his arrest he was found in possession of cellphones belonging to the missing couple.

In his judgement‚ Kathuravaloo said the teen had not proffered any compelling evidence that proved exceptional circumstances that warranted his release on bail.

“His failure to explain the presence of the cellphones to this court cannot be excused by his attorney’s submission that he was not questioned about them. If there was an innocent explanation he should have offered this. This court is of the view that he [Xulu] needs to go further and explain how the got the cellphones and from whom‚” he said.

Kathuravaloo returned to a brief statement Xulu had made during his first appearance‚ when he insisted he had a lot to tell the court. “If indeed he has a lot to tell the court I haven’t heard any of it. If the applicant is to be believed that he has a lot to say then he is deliberately concealing information from this court‚” he added.

“His possession of the cellphones indicates that he has associated himself with a criminal conspiracy‚” the magistrate said in summation.

Xulu and his co-accused will return to court on April 12‚ where the co-accused Patel is expected to put in a bail application.