COURT REPORTER: JADE OTTO
Cape Argus – The State is opposing bail for the man who allegedly shot and killed two minibus taxi commuters, one of whom was a Retreat mother who was on her way to work after maternity leave. Alroy Simon believed to be a member of the Corner Boys gang is alleged to have tried to kill the taxi driver on January 21 but two others were killed instead. That morning, Leslyn Mentor who was seated behind the driver and Tashreeq Sonday, who sat next to the driver, were shot dead when a gunman opened fire on the taxi. The driver, an alleged member of the rival Junkie Funkie Kids, managed to escape. His identity is being withheld for his safety. He is also one of the key witnesses in the case. Yesterday Wynberg Magistrate’s Court prosecutor Samantha Spannenberg said the State was opposed to Simon’s release on bail. The State said Simon has one case of aggravated robbery pending against him in Muizenberg. He was arrested for allegedly stealing a cellphone from someone in Muizenberg just two days after the shooting on Concert Boulevard in Retreat. Simon, 27, of Capricorn, was arrested and held in custody over the weekend. The police linked him to the double murder. Two witnesses have identified Simon as the shooter that day. Andre Johnston, for Simon, asked that the prosecution reveal his client’s bail information so he could prepare for the bail application. Magistrate Xoliswa Ndoyana said Spannenberg was not obliged to release the information and refused to deal with the issue further. Johnston told the court earlier that his client would deny the allegations and use an alibi defence. Meanwhile, Mentor’s five-month-old daughter Lesray is in her mother, Francina Mentor’s, care. Simon will be held in custody at Pollsmoor Prison until his bail application on March 7.