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Murder-accused Thabani Mzolo has abandoned his bail application at the Durban Magistrates’ Court and has chosen to remain in custody until his next appearance on August 29.
In another brief appearance on Tuesday morning the defendant’s attorney, Charl Claassen, said his client abandoned the bail application because of safety concerns. He added that the “timing was just not right” because tempers were still flaring, particularly among the Mangosuthu University of Technology’s student community.
Speaking to City Press after the appearance, Claassen said: “A lot of people are aggrieved even though the law states that a person should be considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. This decision has been taken to ensure my client’s safety.”
The bail application was postponed on May 17 to Tuesday due to discrepancies with regards to Mzolo’s place of residence.
The 23-year-old provided the court with two addresses in his bail application. However, tenants residing at both addresses denied that the accused lived there.
Mzolo was accused of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend Zolile Khumalo after he apparently failed to accept her rejection of him. The incident allegedly took place in full view of Khumalo’s roommate at the Umlazi university’s off-campus Lonsdale residence in the Durban CBD.
During Mzolo’s last appearance in May, prosecutor Calvin Govender told the court that, on the fateful day, Mzolo shot Khumalo twice and kicked her while she lay bleeding on the ground.
Mzolo caused a stir on social media when he took to Facebook and appeared to confess to the murder soon after the ordeal.
In one such apparent confession on his Facebook page, Mzolo said that he wished he could resurrect her and apologise in person for killing her but she had gone without him having a chance to do so.
Mzolo was found and apprehended in Khumalo’s room.
The accused’s choice to abandon his bail applications was a shocking turn of events given the nonchalant attitude he had exhibited since his first court appearance.
Mzolo expressed no regard for the deceased’s family, court officials or the media in court. He grinned throughout proceedings, made “trigger signs” with his fingers and even went as far as showing his middle finger to journalists during his last appearance.
The matter was adjourned to August 29. Mzolo was expected to appear via video from Westville prison where he was expected to be detained.
Claassen said the appearance would be done via video because it was expected to be another short appearance. The state was expected to ask for another adjournment due an outstanding photo album and DNA results.
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