Bail for dead man’s girlfriend

A Xolani woman arrested for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend to death was released on R500 bail in the Grahamstown Magistrate’s Court last Friday 1 August.

The 31-year-old woman was arrested more than a week ago after relatives of her late boyfriend, Bonakele Ngqiyaza, found his lifeless body in a pool of blood in his room Friday 25 July. The couple reportedly had been arguing.

Magistrate Thembela Mata granted the woman, who faces murder charges, R500 bail.

Responding to questions about her previous convictions, the woman said she had been charged with the murder of a relative in 2009, but was acquitted. Her lawyer interrupted to tell her to stick to her convictions. She told the court she had been convicted once for assault with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm and sentenced to a year in prison. However, her lawyer reminded her she had been convicted on a case of malicious damage to property. She has no pending cases or arrest warrants.

Mata granted her bail and ordered her to adhere to strict bail conditions. She was ordered not to contact Ngqiyaza’s family or talk to the witnesses Nombulelo Manyathi, Nomathamsanqa Ngqiyaza and Nontsokolo.

When asked how much she could afford for bail, she said R300. Mata set bail at R500, an amount he said would encourage her to stand trial.

She turned to her mother who was sitting behind her in the dock and asked her to organise the bail money “and get me out of here”. Her mother repeatedly said she didn't have money, to which the accused responded, “I will pay it back when I’m out."

During her bail application she told the court that she stays with her mother in Royi Street, in Xolani, near Ngqiyaza’s Nonzube Street home. She said both she and her mother depend on her mother’s social grant and sometimes money she makes from occasional odd jobs. She also has a five-year-old child from a previous relationship, who stays with her paternal grandparents.
The case was postponed to 29 August for further investigation.