Bail hearing for DJ Warras murder accused Victor Majola postponed to Friday

The bail hearing of the man accused of orchestrating the murder of Warrick Stock, aka DJ Warras, has been postponed to Friday.

Soweto taxi boss Victor Majola has been in the dock at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court applying for bail since Tuesday.

Majola’s attorney, Dumisani Mabunda, began his closing arguments on Thursday afternoon.

CCTV footage

This follows a failed bid to compel the court to produce CCTV footage of Stock’s murder.

Magistrate Annalise Tlhapi ruled that the CCTV footage capturing the murder does not need to be presented in court.

Majola’s attorney, Dumisani Mabunda, had made an application on Wednesday requesting that the footage be brought to court.

This followed allegations that Majola is seen in the footage with an unidentified gunman, loitering around Von Wielligh Street in Johannesburg’s CBD about 45 minutes before Stock was gunned down.

Magistrate Tlhapi said Majola’s bail application was not a trial.

“The issue of the video footage, whether it is available or not, does not shift the onus on the applicant. The applicant has to prove two things: firstly, exceptional circumstances; and secondly, that those exceptional circumstances permit his release on bail, in the interests of justice.”

Tlhapi dismissed the application.

“Therefore, the application is dismissed. If both the state and the defence have any further submissions in closing, they may do so.”

Last ditch attempt at bail

The attorney representing the man accused of being the mastermind behind Warrick Stock’s murder made a last-ditch attempt to convince the court why his client should be granted bail.

Mabunda stressed that Majola - accused of orchestrating Stock’s murder on December 16 - would be prejudiced if bail was not granted.

“It is not in dispute that this accused is self-employed. He owns taxis. He will suffer serious prejudice if he remains in custody while investigations continue. He has many children to take care of. Schools have just opened, and they need their father to be present - financially, physically, emotionally, and otherwise,” he said.

The matter has been postponed to allow the state to present its closing arguments.