A 49-year-old man accused of setting South Africa’s parliament on fire has been denied bail by a court in Cape Town.
Global African Family Meeting
Police have said they have a video confession from Zandile Christmas Mafe – evidence they say will be presented in court when the trial begins.
But Mr Mafe has pleaded not guilty and intends to sue the state for wrongful arrest, his lawyers say.
It has been a little over a month since a portion of the National Assembly went up in flames in a suspected arson attack.
Mr Mafe, who was arrested shortly afterwards, is facing a string of charges, including one of terrorism – all of which he denies.
The motive for the attack is unknown.
It may be some time before the trial begins and unless Mr Mafe wins an appeal to overturn the bail decision, he will remain in detention.
Magistrate Michelle Adams said Mr Mafe, who is said to have regularly slept on the streets of Cape Town, might be a flight risk.
She added that his defence team had failed to show that there were exceptional circumstances for Mr Mafe to be granted bail.
Earlier, state prosecutors raised questions about Mr Mafe’s mental health after a doctor told them he had paranoid schizophrenia – a diagnosis that is yet to be confirmed by an independent doctor.
His own legal team have rubbished the suggestion.
The case will resume next Friday for an application to appeal against the bail decision.
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