Murder accused Mzoxolo Reginald Schoeman demanded bail at the Grahamstown Magistrates' Court on Thursday, saying he could not stay in jail as the food is not good for his health.
Murder accused Mzoxolo Reginald Schoeman demanded bail at the Grahamstown Magistrates' Court on Thursday, saying he could not stay in jail as the food is not good for his health.
He said meals supplied to prisoners in jail do not have spinach, making it difficult for him to live under such circumstances. Schoeman appeared on a murder charge after he allegedly stabbed a man to death in Extension 2. "I was diagnosed with blood cancer after serving my 10-year sentence. The doctor said I contracted it because of food I was eating in prison and recommended a high spinach diet. My health does not allow me to eat a lot of mealie meal, samp and beans, and food that is cooked by steam. This is what I eat regularly in prison," said Schoeman.
According to Schoeman, he has not taken his cancer treatment since he was arrested on 13 November and was supposed to fetch his treatment at the Provincial Hospital in Port Elizabeth on the day of his bail hearing. "My mother is old and I have two children, a 13-year-old that lives with me and my mother and a 3-year-old that lives with his mother. My health is not in a good state," said Schoeman.
Schoeman also has two pending cases, which exclude this murder accusation, that he missed because of his arrest. He was granted R500 bail in October last year in an attempted murder case, but was refused bail this time by Magistrate Nomnikelo Jebese.
"The prison official had responded well to your health problem, I don't see the reason why they won't this time around," said Jebese. "Your child that lives with your mother receives a foster care grant monthly and you also receive a monthly grant from the state because of your health. Your mother has access to your money as you had mentioned to the court and your doctor will liaise with the prison nurses for your diet, therefore I don't see the risk in my judgement."
