A Pretoria businessman accused of stealing 541 kilograms of cocaine from a Hawks facility in Port Shepstone has been granted R50,000 bail.
Lucas Legabe is facing charges of housebreaking with intent to steal and dealing in drugs.
The cocaine was seized from a cargo depot in Isipingo before being taken to the Hawks’ offices in Port Shepstone.
The consignment later disappeared from the Hawks facility in November 2021.
The theft of the cocaine has since come under scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission, which is investigating allegations of corruption and criminality within law enforcement.
Magistrate Nonjabulo Moleele handed down her decision on Legabe’s bail application on Monday morning.
Moleele said she was satisfied that Legabe had met the requirements for bail under Section 60(11)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
She also found that the interests of justice could be protected through strict and enforceable bail conditions.
Legabe was subsequently granted bail of R50,000.
The matter has been postponed to December 1 to allow for further investigations.