POLOKO TAU
CELLPHONE records have revealed “constant” communication between two police officers and an alleged gang member on the day a police reservist was killed during an ATM bombing at a Soweto filling station.
This was revealed by the state during a bail application hearing for Moroka police station constables Authority Gamede, 29, and Vincent Hlubi, 35, at Protea Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The pair was arrested for allegedly supplying suspected ATM bombers with ammunition and face charges of defeating the ends of justice.
They appeared in court a day after Hector Mabaso, 29, and Sifiso Shezi, 35, made a brief appearance at the same court for the ATM bombing and murder of police reservist Busisiwe Mehlwana, 33, at a Total garage in Pimville earlier last month.
Prosecutor Yusuf Baba opposed bail for the two officers and provided the court with evidence of cellphone records revealing numerous calls made from Hlubi’s cellphone to Mabaso throughout the day the ATM was bombed.
“They were in constant communication with Mabaso on the day the bombing happened,” Baba told the court.
In his bail application affidavit Gamede admitted that he had called Mabaso from Hlubi’s cellphone after he was involved in a vehicle collision at the corner of Kliprivier and Chris Hani roads at around 8pm – about three hours before the ATM bombing.
Although the state said calls were made before the accident, Gamede said he borrowed Hlubi’s cellphone and called Mabaso to raise bail money.
Gamede, who was convicted for drunken driving in 2007, was arrested after the collision on suspicion of driving under the influence but released later on police bail.
He said he knew Mabaso because they come from the same area in KwaZulu-Natal.
Defence lawyer Kanyane Phaladi argued that his clients were charged with defeating the ends of justice but the “state can’t show how they distracted administration of justice”.
“Is phoning a friend an obstruction of justice?” Phaladi asked.
He said Gamede was in police custody when the ATM bombing and shooting of Mehlwana happened.
“How could he interfere or collude in a robbery elsewhere when he was already in custody? By phoning somebody only to find that they’re committing an offence at the time is not wrong,” Phaladi said.
He said Gamede and Hlubi were not flight risks and both have admitted to calling Mabaso and knowing him.
The state has expressed its confidence in cellphone records linking the suspects to the alleged cop killers and ATM bombers and said the two officers could face even more charges.
The court was expected to decide on the bail application today.