Bloemfontein District Court on Tuesday granted one of the new accused in the Thabo Bester case a bail of R10,000, while the other withdrew his bail application.
Joel Lakhari Mkhitha and Moeketsi April Ramolola are back in court to apply for bail after a brief appearance last week, as a third defendant who recently added to the case was granted bail of R10,000.
The two face three charges: aiding an inmate escape, physical violation, and corruption.
The proceedings began with Ramolola withdrawing his bail application while Mkhitha explained his reasons for granting bail.
These include that he has no previous convictions or pending cases, will not escape trial because he has “strong emotional ties” to Bloemfontein, and will not interfere with the administration of justice and has cooperated with officials since his arrest.