One of the parents of a police officer charged with the murder of his wife says he deserves to be in jail.
This emerged in the Camperdown magistrate’s court on Monday during the bail application of Sgt Mthokozisi Nene, 44.
Nene, stationed at Inchanga police station, is alleged to have shot his schoolteacher wife Thobeka Nene, 41, on June 23 in the garage of their home in Inchanga.
Investigating officer Capt Bathabile Mdladla testified on Wednesday last week that Nene should not be granted bail for the safety of witnesses — some of whom are known to the him — as well as that of the mother of the deceased and their children.
During cross-examination by defence attorney Sizwe Cele on Monday, Mdladla told the court Nene had provided her with his parents’ address in KwaNyuswa. The accused's home had been torched after the murder.
Mdladla said his parents said they could not accommodate him there.
“I spoke to his mother who said they were sick so they wouldn’t be able to ensure he abides by his bail conditions. She said they were not willing to live with him. He deserved to go to jail.”
Mdladla also revealed that Nene is still under investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for the murder of a colleague in 2019.
Nene had also been charged with murder in 2014 but was later cleared.
Cele said the point about his children and the deceased’s mother being scared were irrelevant in his client's bid for bail because they were not witnesses in this case.
As in previous court appearances, there was a huge crowd calling for Nene not to be granted bail.
Ragini Moodley, the SA Democratic Teachers Union gender convener in the Mzi Mthembu region where the deceased came from, told TimesLIVE the union was opposing bail.
“If this court is going to rule, it must rule in favour of the community, the children, the state and the citizens at large.”
The matter was postponed to Friday.
TimesLIVE
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Parent of policeman accused of wife's murder says he deserves to 'go to jail'
Image: Mfundo Mkhize
One of the parents of a police officer charged with the murder of his wife says he deserves to be in jail.
This emerged in the Camperdown magistrate’s court on Monday during the bail application of Sgt Mthokozisi Nene, 44.
Nene, stationed at Inchanga police station, is alleged to have shot his schoolteacher wife Thobeka Nene, 41, on June 23 in the garage of their home in Inchanga.
Investigating officer Capt Bathabile Mdladla testified on Wednesday last week that Nene should not be granted bail for the safety of witnesses — some of whom are known to the him — as well as that of the mother of the deceased and their children.
During cross-examination by defence attorney Sizwe Cele on Monday, Mdladla told the court Nene had provided her with his parents’ address in KwaNyuswa. The accused's home had been torched after the murder.
Mdladla said his parents said they could not accommodate him there.
“I spoke to his mother who said they were sick so they wouldn’t be able to ensure he abides by his bail conditions. She said they were not willing to live with him. He deserved to go to jail.”
Mdladla also revealed that Nene is still under investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for the murder of a colleague in 2019.
Nene had also been charged with murder in 2014 but was later cleared.
Cele said the point about his children and the deceased’s mother being scared were irrelevant in his client's bid for bail because they were not witnesses in this case.
As in previous court appearances, there was a huge crowd calling for Nene not to be granted bail.
Ragini Moodley, the SA Democratic Teachers Union gender convener in the Mzi Mthembu region where the deceased came from, told TimesLIVE the union was opposing bail.
“If this court is going to rule, it must rule in favour of the community, the children, the state and the citizens at large.”
The matter was postponed to Friday.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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