One of the reasons that causes murder accused Boitumelo Khitleli to apply for a bail is to get out of jail, look for work so that he can be able to pay his legal fees. Khitleli who is accused of killing his girlfriend and a mother of his child in October 2020 was officially applying for bail at Maluti regional court on Tuesday.
“I would like the court to grant me bail so I can get work and be able to pay my legal fee”, he said. Khitleli responded in this manner when his legal representative, Lindsay Nappiers, was leading him with questions that could convince the magistrate to grant him bail. He also told the court that if granted bail he would go and stay at Rustenburg or Swartberg. According to him the two places are owned by his relative.
Prosecutor responded to the plea by rebuking Khitleli for playing delaying tactics in a case that was supposed to have been completed long time ago. “It was you who told this court that you want to enter into plea bargaining, when we were ready to do that you turned around at the eleventh hour to say you want to apply for a bail. If you count this is the 19th day coming to this court for your case.
Prosecutor told the court that thousands of community members have been protesting in front of the court calling for him not to be granted bail. This court cannot be doing justice if it grants Khitleli bail forgetting about thousands of people who protested in front of this court filling the pain of women who die every day in the hands of their lovers in this country”, said the prosecutor.
Last year Khitleli demanded that he is going to need private lawyers. In the process he managed to employ the services of Fikile Nondabula who then withdrew complaining that he has not been paid. Khitleli is currently represented by the legal aid lawyers.
The court is now going to deliver its decision on whether to grant or not to grant bail on Thursday the 27th of January.
