Former Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya will remain behind bars after the Randburg Magistrate’s Court refused his bail application.
Sibiya faces charges including rape, multiple counts of sexual grooming, human trafficking and firearm-related offences.
Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe said the proposed bail conditions would be difficult to monitor, particularly given concerns about Sibiya’s access to a cellphone.
Explaining the decision, Mkhasibe said Sibiya had allegedly destroyed evidence and threatened a witness and the witness’s family.
“He destroyed evidence, threatened the witness. I say witnesses because when he threatened to wipe Mr M’s family, he included the child victim,” she said.
Mkhasibe said the court had considered Sibiya’s constitutional rights, personal circumstances, the presumption of innocence and the interests of justice.
“The finding is that the applicant failed to show exceptional circumstances that permit the applicant to be released on bail. As a result, bail is refused,” she said.
The matter has been postponed to 24 November for further investigations.
