State believes one of the CT cops accused of stealing R20m worth of jewellery may interfere with witnesses
Jacobus Groenewald is the only accused in this robbery case who was denied bail by the Wynberg Magistrates Court this week.
The policemen are accused of stealing R20m worth of jewellery from a house in Llandudno, Cape Town. Picture: Ntuthuzelo Nene/ EWN.
CAPE TOWN - The State believes that one of the Cape Town police officers accused of stealing R20 million worth of jewellery might interfere with witnesses if released on bail.
Jacobus Groenewald is the only accused in this robbery case who was denied bail by the Wynberg Magistrates Court this week.
His co-accused, Bradley Minnar, Mthuthuzeli Mafanya and Bathandwa Soldati, are all out on R3,000 bail.
READ: CT cop linked to R20m jewellery heist in Llandudno allegedly caught with drugs in prison
Their case has been postponed to 24 April.
Jacobus Groenewald, Bradley Minnar, Mthuthuzeli Mafanya, and Bathandwa Soldati are accused of pulling off a daring robbery at a house in Llandudno in September last year and making off with R20 million worth of jewellery.
During bail application, the court heard how an empty jewellery box and a black Louis Vuitton card holder with a Nigerian driver’s license were found hidden in the bumper of Groenewald's police car.
It's the same car that was allegedly used in the commission of the crime and had its number plates altered.
The court believes that Groenewald may interfere with witnesses and evidence, pointing to the allegation that he changed the number plates of the police vehicle used on the evening of the said crime and hiding items allegedly stolen from the scene.
Groenewald is also facing a separate drug charge after he was allegedly busted with 200 mandrax tablets at Pollsmoor Prison recently.