GAUTENG. – Suliman Carrim has been granted R100 000 bail on strict conditions after he allegedly failed to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The Pretoria Magistrate's Court granted his bail application on Wednesday, 28 October. Carrim is facing a charge that he contravened section six, subsection one of the Commission Act eight of 1947 by failing to appear before the commission.
Lumka Mahanjana, National Prosecution Authority regional spokesperson, says Carrim was warned to appear before the commission on 14 August, but did not show up. A criminal case was then registered and investigated by the commission's recommendation task team. Carrim was arrested on 15 October at OR Tambo International Airport, shortly before he allegedly was to board an international flight.
The state opposed Carrim's bail application, arguing that he was likely to evade the trial and posed a flight risk because he was arrested at the airport.
The bail conditions stipulate that Carrim must hand over his passport to the investigating officer and may not leave South Africa or obtain a replacement passport without the court's written permission. He must remain at his verified residential address in Mafikeng, may not travel outside the Mafikeng magisterial district without permission, and must report to Mmabatho police station every Monday between 06:00 and 09:00. He must also report to the commission within 48 hours of his release to arrange his next appearance.
According to Mahanjana, the case has been postponed to 8 December for the dossier to be made available to the defence. The court may take action if Carrim breaches the bail conditions, which could include issuing a warrant for his arrest and possible detention.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
