On Thursday, the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court granted bail of R250 000 to Ralph Stanfield, the alleged leader of the 28s gang. However, he continues to be detained, as his bail application in another case was previously denied by the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court.
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According to News24, he plans to appeal the bail refusal to the Western Cape High Court. Magistrate Heather Paulse concluded that the State’s case against Stanfield, charged with various offences such as illegal firearm possession and attempted murder, wasn’t as robust as the prosecution had asserted.
In fact, Magistrate Heather Paulse remarked that the wheels of justice seemed to turn very slowly for Stanfield, who has a decade-old case pending against him.
Stanfield pursued his second bail application in relation to various charges stemming from an alleged attempted attack on a former driver, whom he and his wife Nicole Johnson accused of stealing over R1 million.
He was apprehended in September at his Constantia residence by members of the police’s Anti-Gang Unit. During the arrest, Stanfield was additionally charged with possession of an unlicensed shotgun and ammunition after being discovered with a set of keys unlocking one of the safes in a secure room connected to his bedroom.
Stanfield alleged that the key had been dropped by PPE Security’s Aidan Minnaar, a member of the team responsible for safeguarding his home. Minnaar supported Stanfield’s claim, testifying during the bail application that the safe and its contents belonged to the company and were fully permitted.
However, the State argued that the paperwork was not compliant with the Firearms Control Act.
In her bail judgement, Paulse questioned why Stanfield had been charged for the weapons when Minnaar had been taken to the safe to account for its contents during the operation, not Stanfield. She also noted that Minnaar had claimed responsibility for the gun and ammunition but was released from police custody without being charged.
Among the charges are those related to the theft of a car belonging to a former employee in January of that year. Paulse questioned why Stanfield was dramatically arrested eight months later, suggesting he could have been summoned to appear before a magistrate given his known whereabouts.
Described as a man of ‘significant means,’ Stanfield offered to post R250 000 bail for his release. However, the State accused him of dishonesty about his income, which allegedly amounted to only R40 000 per month from his wife’s company, Glomix House Brokers.
Prosecutor Frank van Heerden argued that Stanfield posed a flight risk and a danger to witnesses, suggesting he could commit further crimes or flee the country to avoid trial. However, Paulse found no evidence to support these claims and agreed with the defence that Stanfield did not appear to be a flight risk, considering his consistent attendance at court proceedings over the past decade.
Stanfield, who intends to plead not guilty to all charges, is currently detained at the Brandvlei Correctional Facility. He expressed concerns about his health and the impact of his imprisonment on his family, particularly his teenage daughter, who was struggling emotionally and physically.
Despite Stanfield’s plea for bail, he remains in custody pending an appeal against the rejected application.
An optimistic Stanfield, displaying a hint of humour, remarked to the officers as he was led back to the holding cells that he was one step closer to freedom, emphasising the size of his house in a light-hearted manner.
‘My house is big,’ he told one officer.
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Picture: Jaco Marais / Gallo Images