A Hawks police captain accused of conspiracy, extortion and corruption was granted R5000 bail.
|||Cape Town - A Hawks police captain accused of conspiracy, extortion and corruption was granted R5000 bail by the Cape Town District Court on Thursday.
Captain Patrick Yizaya Siyali, 51, of Khayelitsha, made his second appearance on Thursday, since his arrest on June 26, before magistrate Zwelidumile Sogwagwa.
Prosecutor Vusi Tshabalala told the court a second suspect in the case was arrested late on Wednesday night, and expected to make his first court appearance on Monday. The State did not oppose bail for the captain.
Tshabalala said the charges Siyali faced were listed under Schedule five of the Criminal Procedure Act, which meant Siyali had to satisfy the court his release in bail was in the interests of justice.
Siyali’s release was supported by the investigating officer, who was currently on leave, the prosecutor said.
He said the investigating officer’s testimony was necessary for Siyali’s release. This meant Siyali would have to wait for the investigator’s return from leave before he could be released.
The magistrate agreed with defence attorney Ross McKernan that it was “not in order” to keep Siyali in custody until the investigator was back from leave.
McKernan said the possibility of new evidence coming to light with the arrest of the second suspect - as contended by the prosecutor - was “no reason to keep my client in custody”.
The magistrate warned Siyali he was not allowed to have any contact with the complainants in his case, nor interfere with the investigation, as conditions of bail.
The matter was postponed to August 14. - Sapa