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No bail for sugarcane suspect
27/11/2007 18:01 - (SA)
Umzinto - A woman accused of being an accomplice in the murders of 11 women, whose decomposing bodies were found in KwaZulu-Natal sugarcane fields was denied bail in the Umzinto Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Magistrate Giel van Aarde said he was "of the opinion that it would be unwise to grant bail where a life sentence may be imposed".
Hlengiwe faces 10 counts of murder and armed robbery along with Thomazile Taki, the suspected mastermind behind the murders of 11 women whose badly decomposing bodies were discovered in sugarcane fields adjacent to Umzinto's Shayamoya township.
During testimony delivered during the bail application, the court heard that a plastic bag of panties belonging to the 11 women was found in the house where Nene and Taki lived in Durban's Chatsworth area.
The plastic bag was found in a cupboard by police on the night of her arrest on September 24.
The court also heard that other clothing - some of which was too small for Nene - was found in the small house which the police believe belonged to the victims.
Nene said she was not aware of the plastic bag or bank cards and clothing account cards found in the house until police confronted her with them on the night she was arrested.
Bag clearly visible
The packed gallery in court laughed when they heard that Taki was responsible for cleaning the house, which would have been the reason she had not noticed the plastic bag.
"The police found the plastic container. They asked me about it. It was the first time I saw that," she said.
However, investigating officer Nico Crouse told the court that the plastic bag was clearly visible the moment the cupboard was opened.
Nene said Taki had bought the clothing for her but that she had not used it.
She was unable to explain how the bank cards and clothing account cards belonging to some of the dead women came to be in her wallet.
It emerged that Nene's cellphone, a Samsung E250, belonged to one of the dead women. Nene said Taki had given it to her claiming he had bought it from another man.
The state opposed the bail application.
Crouse told the court on Tuesday that when some of the victims could not be convinced about the offer of employment in Umzinto, they would receive a call from a woman, who would tell them: "This is my brother. You've got nothing to fear".
He said there was a strong possibility that Nene was that woman.
A flight risk
Crouse told the court that police were worried that Nene would interfere with witnesses and evidence.
He said police had received reports of other women reported missing but that no further bodies had been found.
Both Crouse and State prosecutor argued that apart from Nene being a flight risk, her life would be endangered if she was released on bail.
It was a point that Van Aarde agreed with when he handed down his decision to deny Nene bail.
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