Three of four accused in toddler 'drug' case, including mom, drop bail

The Herald

7 hours ago

Three of the four people from Newclare arrested after a video on social media of a young boy smoking what appeared to be drugs abandoned bail in the Johannesburg magistrate court on Monday.
Only accused number 2 is fighting to be released on bail.
The accused, who has a previous drug conviction dating back to 2018, faces charges of attempted murder and child abuse alongside his co-accused, who include the boy's mother.
The case stems from a viral video that allegedly shows the four-year-old boy lighting a 'harmful' substance in a pipe for his mother and then being encouraged to smoke it himself, with the other accused allegedly present.
In an affidavit, the accused told the court he was not a danger to society, would comply with bail conditions and would live with his aunt outside Newclare if granted bail. His lawyer added that his family could afford R3,000 for bail.
But the state strongly opposed his release. The investigating officer argued that the accused was identified in the viral video and had even admitted to recording it.
The state also argued about the seriousness of the charges and the public outrage surrounding the case, saying granting him bail would undermine confidence in the justice system.
It added the accused was unemployed, which raised concerns he might abscond if released.
The court heard that the child has been placed in a place of safety while social workers continue their assessments.
Magistrate Annalisa Tlhapi reserved judgment on the bail application until Friday.
A large group of Newclare residents packed the public gallery in a show of support for the state's opposition to bail.
Community activist Melissa Davids said after the application that residents were relieved that three of the accused had abandoned bail but were still deeply worried about the accused who had applied to be released on bail.
'We believe that granting him bail would send the wrong message. Already, we see similar cases coming up. Our children are not safe and we want the courts to send a strong signal that this behaviour will never be tolerated,' said Davids.
Davids added that while residents had remained calm throughout the process, they could not guarantee the same restraint in the future if justice was not served.
TimesLIVE