KZN robbery accused gets bail
2012-12-19 16:39
Johannesburg - A man accused of being part of a trio who
robbed houses after pouring boiling water over the occupants was granted bail
in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court on Wednesday.
Magistrate Riaan de Wet granted Siyabonga Mchunu R5 000
bail, with Mchunu having to report to a police station three times a week and
stay 30km away from the victims' homes.
Mchunu, 28, allegedly led Mvusi Dlamini and Lucky
Mbonanbi to two houses in Albert Falls, 26km north of Pietermaritzburg, in
February this year.
Dlamini, 28, and Mbonanbi, 26, allegedly poured boiling
water over the occupants of the two homes, including a 30-month-old baby, to
force them to hand over valuables.
Dlamini and Mbonanbi took R5 000, a firearm, and two
airguns from the one home and took R45 000 and jewellery worth R101 000 from
the other.
They were allegedly armed with assault rifles and
handguns.
Dlamini and Mbonanbi were denied bail when they appeared
in court in May.
The State opposed Mchunu's bail, stating the seriousness
of the charges, the violence perpetrated against Dlamini and Mbonanbi's
victims, and that his proximity to the victims' homes was concerning.
De Wet said the seriousness of the crimes was not in
itself a reason to refuse Mchunu bail.
The trial was set down for May next year in the
Pietermaritzburg Regional Court.
- SAPA
