This as the investigating officer (IO), Tibi Mahlatsi, took the stand to testify for the state against Ramatisa's bail application. Mahlatsi described her as a person under pressure by and the influence of her co-accused and boyfriend, Jabulani Machoto (25). He also testified that Ramatisa was implicated in the matter after she lied about burning the alleged blood-stained sneakers Machoto worn during the commission of the crime. Mahlatsi further testified that it would not be in the best interest of justice, nor the accused, to be released on bail due to the massive public interest in the matter, amongst other reasons. Meanwhile, Magistrate Ryan Ishmail postponed the matter to 22 October 2019 for a further bail application.

In his testimony, Mahlatsi further told the court that evidence, which includes a T-shirt, pair of jeans, and a pair of sneakers - all blood-stained - were found in a Zone 6 house, number 3, in Ficksburg after evidence led their investigation to that area. He alleges this after the police were on a manhunt for Machoto who had fled to Lesotho with the help of Ramatisa while on the run after the murder of the three deceased. Earlier, Ishmail raised a concern with arguments furnished by the state to deny Ramatisa bail. He told the state prosecutor, Johan de Vries, that throughout the state's submissions against the mother of two, it does not directly implicate her in the murder case. Ishmail said the impression he got from the state's submission against Ramatisa’s bail application was that the argument was crafted in a manner that the state was opposing bail for all the accused but says nothing specific about the accused.

Meanwhile, De Vries and Ishmail agreed to stand the matter down to allow the state to call the Kimberley Women Correctional Facility Centre’s official to testify on how the state can assist the accused to accommodate her 10-month-old baby at the centre.

OFM News