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Hijack: State to oppose bail
26/06/2006 12:41 - (SA)
Cape Town - Tinashe Rioga, the 21-year old Zimbabwean accused of trying to hijack a South African Airways domestic flight from Cape Town on June 17, appeared briefly in Bellville magistrate's court in the city on Monday.
The case was postponed for a bail application on July 5, and he was remanded in the Bellville South police station cells.
The court, where proceedings were conducted with the aid of a Shona-speaking interpreter, was told that Rioga was a Zimbabwean national in South Africa on a study permit.
The University of Cape Town (UCT) student has no pending cases, outstanding warrants or previous convictions.
"(The) accused has a clean record," said prosecutor Zamani Gcelushe.
Gcelushe said due to the seriousness of the charges, the Western Cape Directorate of Public Prosecutions had instructed him to oppose bail.
The State regarded the matter as a Schedule 6 offence under the Criminal Procedure Act, which meant an accused has to satisfy the court that "exceptional circumstances" exist before bail is granted.
The bespectacled student, who is doing an information technology course, faces charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and contravening aviation regulations.
Rioga allegedly brandished a hypodermic syringe during his abortive hijack attempt.
In court his attorney, a Mr Greeff, placed on record "unacceptable" attempts to gain access to his client while in custody.
He said a woman, posing as an employee from the UCT cafeteria and bearing a basket of fruit, had attempted to speak to Rioga on the merits of the case.
"That is a big, gross infringement of the accused's right to remain silent," said Greeff.
In a Sunday Times report, piecing together details of Rioga's life, a female journalist admits to visiting Rioga in jail, where he is described as looking "tired and confused".
Greeff sought a court order from magistrate David Tonisi, which was granted, that only certain people - including the defence attorney, a medical practitioner, the police and a relative - were allowed to visit Rioga.
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