The Soshanguve magistrate’s court has granted R5,000 bail to the new host of Moja Love's anti-drug show Sizok’thola.
Xolani Maphanga, 39, and his bodyguard Bongani Mkhabela, 33, who is also the director and owner of Tshenolo Private Investigative Company, have been charged with three counts of attempted murder and trespass.
TimesLIVE reported Maphanga and his crew allegedly assaulted three people in Soshanguve while the show was being recorded in March.
A case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was opened at Soshanguve police station after the alleged assault.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said on March 14 the duo, with other Moja Love crewmembers who have not been identified, allegedly went to the complainant’s house in Soshanguve looking for drugs they claimed she was selling.
“When they could not find the drugs it is alleged the two started to assault a woman who is a complainant in the matter with a sjambok and choked her and suffocated her brother. Three days after the incident the woman reported the matter to police.”
Maphanga and Mkhabela handed themselves over to police on April 9 after a warrant of arrest was issued for them, Mahanjana said.
In their bail bid the two denied committing the offences.
The state did not oppose bail but asked the court to order that they should not communicate directly or indirectly with the witnesses and should report to their closest police station once a week.
The matter has been postponed to May 21 for further investigations.
Maphanga was announced as the new host of the popular show in February after former presenter Xolani Khumalo's axing in November last year because of a similar issue.
The channel said at the time it decided to part ways with Khumalo after concerns were raised about “his knowledge and involvement in the unlawful incidents that led to the possible contamination of crime scenes, failed prosecutions of known drug lords and unfortunate tragedies that followed the filming of certain episodes”.
Khumalo is on trial for the murder of Robert Varrie who died during a recording of the show.
TimesLIVE
New ‘Sizok’thola’ presenter Xolani Maphanga charged with attempted murder, granted bail
TV host and bodyguard accused of assaulting complainant during recording of drug-busting show
Image: Supplied
The Soshanguve magistrate’s court has granted R5,000 bail to the new host of Moja Love's anti-drug show Sizok’thola.
Xolani Maphanga, 39, and his bodyguard Bongani Mkhabela, 33, who is also the director and owner of Tshenolo Private Investigative Company, have been charged with three counts of attempted murder and trespass.
TimesLIVE reported Maphanga and his crew allegedly assaulted three people in Soshanguve while the show was being recorded in March.
A case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was opened at Soshanguve police station after the alleged assault.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said on March 14 the duo, with other Moja Love crewmembers who have not been identified, allegedly went to the complainant’s house in Soshanguve looking for drugs they claimed she was selling.
“When they could not find the drugs it is alleged the two started to assault a woman who is a complainant in the matter with a sjambok and choked her and suffocated her brother. Three days after the incident the woman reported the matter to police.”
Maphanga and Mkhabela handed themselves over to police on April 9 after a warrant of arrest was issued for them, Mahanjana said.
In their bail bid the two denied committing the offences.
The state did not oppose bail but asked the court to order that they should not communicate directly or indirectly with the witnesses and should report to their closest police station once a week.
The matter has been postponed to May 21 for further investigations.
Maphanga was announced as the new host of the popular show in February after former presenter Xolani Khumalo's axing in November last year because of a similar issue.
The channel said at the time it decided to part ways with Khumalo after concerns were raised about “his knowledge and involvement in the unlawful incidents that led to the possible contamination of crime scenes, failed prosecutions of known drug lords and unfortunate tragedies that followed the filming of certain episodes”.
Khumalo is on trial for the murder of Robert Varrie who died during a recording of the show.
TimesLIVE
READ MORE:
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