Some of the men accused of snatching little Abira Dekhta and then threatening to sell her on the dark web have ditched their bail applications.
In a shocking turn of events at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court this week, the defence lawyers told Magistrate Goolam Bawa that the accused would rather stay in the mang.
This follows months of delays and failed applications to access the docket.
The hearings, which had been set down for Friday, were again postponed due to a lawyer being sick.
Nine-year-old Abira was snatched from inside her school transport vehicle parked at Amber Court in Gatesville on November 4 last year.
According to the State’s case, five men using two vehicles had followed her driver and sped off with her in a white Nissan bakkie.
More than a week later, cops called her father, Aslam, and told him that they had found the meisie in a shack in Khayelitsha, following a tip-off.
The accused face a klomp charges including robbery, kidnapping, attempted extortion and human trafficking among others.
During court proceedings, the main accused, Mawande Jobovu, ditched his bail application along with Sonwabo Malumbozo and Kwanele Jilaji, while the remaining accused – Luxolo Mosiza, Sithembiso Qwaka and Adiore Magura – indicated that they would continue.
Mosiza has already taken the stand in his own defence, claiming he had no knowledge of Abira’s kidnapping and was only visiting his friend at the time of the arrests.
Mosiza was set to return to the witness stand on Tuesday but his lawyer told Magistrate Bawa he had changed his mind.
“Before this matter was called, I went to consult with the first applicant and also the second applicant and they have since instructed me at this junction to abandon and not to continue further with the application.
“They have considered a number of issues and as a result, it is my instruction that they will no longer continue with the application,” the lawyer added.
Magura’s lawyer confirmed that he, too, would be abandoning the application.
The case was postponed to July 27 for further investigation.