Bail bid for Julius Mkhwanazi, Kagiso Lerutla set to resume

The bail application for suspended Ekurhuleni senior metro cop Julius Mkhwanazi and city manager Kagiso Lerutla is set to resume in the Boksburg Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning.

The two spent the long weekend in custody after judgment was reserved following two days of bail hearings last week.

Their legal teams argued for their release, saying both men are willing to comply with strict conditions.

However, the State opposed bail, saying that they are likely to interfere with witnesses.

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During closing arguments last week, the State insisted that their release would not be in the interests of justice and again raised concerns about a possibility of interfering with witnesses.

The defence, however, challenged the strength of the State's case and questioned the likelihood that Lerutla would pay a large sum of money for someone to appear in court on his behalf.

The pair face charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice for allegedly colluding to have Mkhwanazi's driver, Thabang Tsotetsi impersonate Lerutla in court in 2019.

It is alleged that Lerutla paid R400,000, which was shared between Tsotetsi and Mkhwanazi.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) claims this was done to avoid Lerutla's fingerprints being linked to a potential criminal case.