The bail hearing of Armindo Joaquim Pacula, the alleged shooter in the murder of Warrick "DJ Warras" Stock, has been postponed to February 11.
Pacula, an undocumented Mozambican, made a brief appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
According to the State, Pacula intends to negotiate a plea agreement. During the hearing, he requested not to be imprisoned at Johannesburg Prison, also known as Sun City, citing fears for his safety.
Speaking to the media, the Mozambican Consulate in Johannesburg, headed by Consul-General Guilherme Tamele, confirmed it has not yet met Armindo Pacula and is still verifying his citizenship.
The consulate said it aims to confirm his identity, track his entry into South Africa, and collect relevant information to support the investigation into the DJ Warras murder.
Tamele said the consulate is closely monitoring the court proceedings and trusts the matter will be handled fairly under South African law.
“We are still clarifying his identity to reconfirm or to confirm what is most significant. So that is a process that we are following right now. We will find out who he is, where he is coming from, how he came to South Africa, where he was living, and all other relevant details.”
“We will have to ask, you know, if he is coming from Mozambique, where he is coming from, how he crossed the border into South Africa, what he was doing, and all those details that might help us cooperate with the South African authorities based on the information that we might collect from him.”
“I said in my statement that we have taken note of these proceedings, and that we trust this matter will be handled with fairness, with due diligence, and according to South African law. So, if he intends to plead guilty, of course, the law must take its course,” said Tamele.
Another suspect, Victor Majola, has made several court appearances and is also expected to return on February 11, for a bail application. Majola faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder and premeditated murder in connection with Stock’s killing, and he last appeared in court on January 26.
During the bail hearing, Majola’s defence argued that the State had failed to present evidence directly linking him to the crime.
“The State opposed bail, submitting that the accused was likely to evade trial. The State further noted that Majola’s alibi could not be tested, as he elected not to testify in court. In her ruling, the Magistrate cited concerns that the accused had provided conflicting residential addresses, could potentially intimidate witnesses known to him, and posed a flight risk. Majola will remain in custody until his next court appearance,” said Phindi Mjonondwane, NPA Regional Spokesperson.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the judgment, saying it sends a strong message that violent crime will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law.
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star