Bail for two in illicit Hammanskraal steroids case
|Published
POLICE raided a family home at a plot near Hammanskraal and discovered a massive drug manufacturing laboratory. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/ANA POLICE raided a family home at a plot near Hammanskraal and discovered a massive drug manufacturing laboratory. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/ANA
Pretoria - Lucas van Heerden and his employee, France Dikgale, were on Tuesday granted bail following their arrest last week for manufacturing steroids illegally at a farmhouse in Hammanskraal.
The duo appeared at the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court.
Van Heerden, 53, was granted bail of R30000, while his 38-year-old
co-accused was granted R10000 bail.
Both men face charges of manufacturing medicine illegally, in terms of the Medicine and Related Substances Act.
Van Heerden was also charged with possession of firearms. Both pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
In their affidavits, both the accused stated that they were employed in pharmaceutical companies.
Van Heerden noted that as a
pharmacist, he earned about R63000 a month after deductions, and other sources of income earned him about R15000 a month. He noted that he was originally from the West and had been residing at the Hammanskraal plot since 2007. He stated in his application that should he not be granted bail, his finances would suffer severely, and so would his dependants.
He also said that his girlfriend was severely injured. He further stated that he did not have any grudges against anyone.
His co-accused noted in his
affidavit that he had resided in Atteridgeville since 2001. He had six dependants, including his wife, and earned R16000 a month after deductions, while he received about R14000 from
contractual work.
He was a machine operator and had no previous
convictions. He said his release would not endanger the public, and that should he be denied bail, he would not be able to provide for his family.
Both accused said they did not wish to live as fugitives.
Prosecutor Moloke Molaba did not oppose the bail. However, he requested that in addition to their bail conditions the pair should not communicate with Chemgrit Cosmetics in Boksburg or the company Jean Park. The matter was postponed to June 26.