Andile Lungisa Granted R10 000 Bail, Set To Be Released
Nelson Mandela Bay ANC politician, Andile Lungisa, has opted to remain in jail despite being granted bail of R10 000 in the Grahamstown High Court in Makhanda.
Lungisa was granted bail by the Makhanda Court a few days after he began serving his two-year sentence for assault.
Judge Sunil Rugunanan explained the reasons behind granting Lungisa bail saying, “If I were to refuse bail and the application for leave to appeal is successful, whenever that maybe, then the applicant will be deprived of his freedom unnecessarily and the interests of justice will not be served.”
However, Lungisa’s freedom is dependant on the outcome of the Constitutional Court with Judge Sunil Rugunanan adding, “If however, bail is granted and leave to appeal fails, then he will inevitably proceed to serve his sentence.”
Lungisa claims the case had been unfairly swayed by political pressure.
The office of the Chief Justice, the highest judicial official in the country, commented on the matter saying: “These allusive and false remarks, which undermine the integrity of the judiciary and judicial independence and constitute contempt of court and crimen injuria offences, are reported to have been made when Mr Lungisa handed himself over to authorities at the North End Prison in Port Elizabeth to begin serving his two-year sentence following a conviction on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.”
Economic Freedom Fighter Julius Malema had joined calls for Lungisa’s release from prison. Malema said:
@mrlungisa did nothing wrong, and I support him. I will soon visit him in jail and support all initiatives to get him out of jail soon. Be strong my DP; you are our generational deputy President.
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) September 17, 2020
Lungisa who is the councillor of Nelson Mandela Bay was sentenced for assaulting a Democratic Alliance official with a glass jug and the entire incident was caught on video.
Nevertheless, the view that Lungisa’s affiliation to those who support policies including land expropriation was ultimately his downfall has seen mounting calls for his release.
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