KZN councillor granted bail
2012-12-19 22:18
Durban - Murder accused National Freedom Party councillor
Mzonjani Zulu was granted R5 000 bail by the Durban Regional Court on
Wednesday.
Magistrate Trevor Levitt said it was in the interests of
justice to release Zulu because he was a family man and operating a business
which was struggling in his absence.
Zulu is accused of killing IFP supporter Siya Dlamini in
October outside the Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court. Two shots were fired at Dlamini
in full view of police and bystanders.
This happened after the appearance of four men in
connection with the shooting of an IFP supporter.
Earlier, Zulu told the court that he was defending
himself when he shot dead Dlamini. Testifying in his bail application, Zulu
said he was talking to a police officer when he saw three people approaching
him.
One of the men grabbed his jacket after asking him what
he was saying to the police officer about a person outside the court who was
holding an assegai.
"I tried to pull myself out of his grip by moving
backwards," Zulu said.
The officer tried to stop the man, but moved towards
Zulu. Zulu said he tried to move back and run away, but the man continued
advancing.
"It was then when I took my firearm out of the
holster, but at first it got stuck. I eventually managed to pull out the
firearm and pointed it at him.
"I ordered him not to come close. I told him if he
does I'll shoot him, but he continued advancing towards me."
Zulu said he continued to retreat until he ran out of
space, as there was a car behind him.
"After he noticed I could no longer move backwards,
he advanced towards me. Then I fired a warning shot directed at his lower part
of his body.
"He continued to come at me in a forceful manner,
wanting to strike me. Then I shot him in the head."
Bail application
Zulu asked the court to grant him bail as he was taking
care of his unemployed wife, five children, paying off a bond and running a
taxi business. He told the court he intended to plead not guilty.
During cross-examination prosecutor Blackie Swart told
the court Zulu had asked a police officer to take the assegai away from
Dlamini.
"He [the police officer] looked around and saw a man
leaning on the spear standing with two other people. He told you he would not
arrest the man because he wasn't posing a threat to you," Swart said.
Zulu denied this, saying SABC news video footage would
reveal what really happened.
Swart said three witnesses, including a police officer,
said Dlamini had not provoked Zulu. He said the police officer described Zulu
as rude and emotional.
The State opposed bail because of the seriousness of the
crime. Lieutenant Michael Goge said Zulu's life could be in danger if he was
released on bail.
Zulu's attorney Mdu Mvuni said to Goge that if Zulu was
released on bail he would hire bodyguards to ensure his safety. He told the
court Zulu would co-operate with investigations and could provide police with
video footage of the shooting.
Zulu would be back in court on 18 February.
- SAPA
