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- The suspect who allegedly plotted the murder of Tshegofatso Pule was denied bail in the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court.
- The lower court found that the accused failed to prove exceptional circumstances in his application.
- The accused is due back in court on 25 March.
The man accused of plotting the murder of Tshegofatso Pule was denied bail in the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court in Gauteng on Friday.
Ntuthuko Shoba, Pule's former lover, was arrested last month after the man who confessed to murdering her, Muzikayise Malephane, turned State witness.
Shoba is facing a Schedule 6 charge of premeditated murder after Malephane implicated him in Pule's killing.
The 28-year-old was pregnant at the time of her murder.
The Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on Friday afternoon said Malephane implicated Shoba as the alleged "contractor" for Pule's murder and "detailed that Shoba offered him R70 000 to carry out the murder in a quest to prevent his wife from finding out about Pule's pregnancy".
READ | Tshegofatso Pule: Ex-boyfriend appears for her murder, family didn't know he was engaged
News24 earlier reported that Malephane pleaded guilty to the murder of Pule and told the court during proceedings that Shoba was the mastermind behind the murder because "... he [allegedly] did not want his wife to find out about the unborn child".
The beautician's body was found hanging from a tree in Roodepoort in June 2020. She was eight months pregnant at the time.
On Friday morning, Magistrate Delise Smith said there were no exceptional circumstances for granting Shoba bail.
"Smith said the details contained in the affidavit deposed by the accused during his bail application was insufficient to prove exceptional circumstances and therefore denied him bail," Gauteng NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said.
The accused applied for bail on Monday. His lawyer, Advocate Luyanda Nyangiwe, argued among other things that Shoba is not a danger to the community and he will fully cooperate with proceedings.
He added that Shoba cooperated with the State in the beginning of the case when he was not even a suspect.
The State however vehemently opposed bail, arguing that that the accused failed to demonstrate exceptional circumstances and that he did not meet some of the requirements to be granted bail.
ALSO READ: Tshegofatso Pule: Bail judgment for alleged accomplice, ex lover postponed to Friday
Shoba is due back in court on 25 March.
