Ntuthuko Shoba to remain in custody after second bail bid fails

A second bid to be released on bail by Ntuthuko Shoba has failed in the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.

Magistrate Delize Smith said on Friday it was not in the interest of justice to release him.

The packed gallery rejoiced when the decision was announced.

The court heard that most of the evidence revealed in his second bail application was not entirely “new facts” and that it had been heard during his previous bail application.

Smith said Shoba previously told the court he had received death threats before he was arrested and when he was not a suspect.

“Again, this is not a new fact but existed in the first bail application.

“The fact that the threats no longer exist is on the mere say-so of the application. If they had evidence of this, the court is sure this would have been presented by way of statement, but this was not done.”

Shoba is accused of masterminding the murder of his eight-month pregnant lover Tshegofatso Pule last June.

He was arrested in February after the first person accused of the crime, Muzikayise Malephane, entered into a plea agreement with the state.

Now serving a 20-year jail term, Malephane alleged he had been hired to kill Pule because Shoba feared his wife would find out about her pregnancy.

The state alleged during the bail application that on May 29, Shoba called Malephane 11 times. According to records, on June 4, when Pule went missing, Shoba contacted Malephane 23 times using an unregistered sim card.

Shoba denies guilt.

The matter has been postponed to May 27.

TimesLIVE