LERATO Mahlangu (32) was on Thursday, 2 November, denied bail by the Soshanguve Magistrates Court.
Mahlangu is facing charges of premeditated murder, obstructing justice and fraud. On 2 January 2022, Lerato and her co-accused husband Sibusiso Mahlangu, known as kasi's Thabo Bester, allegedly killed a man at their house in Block HH, Soshanguve, and allegedly burnt his body.
Afterwards, Lerato allegedly obtained a forged death certificate from the Department of Home Affairs in which she claimed her husband Sibusiso had died in the fire and later applied for a life insurance policy.
The couple was arrested in April 2023 after the husband was found in possession of a stolen car in Hammanskraal, Tshwane.
Upon his arrest and processing, it was discovered that he was registered as deceased. Gauteng NPA spokeswoman Lumka Mahanjana said Lerato told the court on Thursday, 2 November that she intended to plead not guilty.
"In court, Mahlangu brought her application for bail in the form of an affidavit stating that she intends to plead not guilty. She also asked to be released on bail because she wants to provide for her family as she is the sole breadwinner and her incarceration is putting financial strain on her family," Mahanjana said.
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"Moreover, since her arrest, her minor child has been placed in the care of her sick grandmother," she said.
Mahanjana said the state prosecutor Luyanda Nkwale opposed her bail application and presented an affidavit stating that although Mahlangu had a clean criminal record, there was a likelihood of her evading trial as she was facing a Schedule 6 offence and could also interfere with state witnesses.
She said Nkwale told the court that the state had a strong case against the accused.
"The magistrates agreed with the state that the accused could not produce evidence of exceptional circumstances that would allow her to be released on bail in the interest of justice. There was also a likelihood that her release on bail would disturb public peace and order, hence her bail was denied," Mahanjana said.
Her husband abandoned his application for bail on 18 May 2023 and is in custody.
The matter was postponed to Wednesday, 29 November, for the Director of Public Prosecutions instructions.
