BRONN MURDER SUSPECT GETS BAIL

Despite an online petition launched by Cape Town’s gay community, one of the men accused of the murder of gay nightclub owner Bruno Bronn, has been granted bail.

Kurt Erispe (32) was granted bail by the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday after the prosecution did not oppose his application to be freed.

The state justified this by saying that Erispe did not have any previous convictions, had a confirmed address and was not considered a flight risk.

The bail was conditional on him not contacting any witnesses and not leaving the province or changing his address without notifying the investigating officer.

The online petition opposing the men’s bail argued that the alleged killers could target possible witnesses in the city’s gay community, including Bronn’s friends, if released.

Another suspect, John Frederick Coetzee (36) abandoned his bail application on Monday. The former bouncer at Bronn’s nightclub has previous drug possession and assault convictions.

The two other accused, Fareez Allie (29) and Achmat Toffa (35), will appear in court next week to apply for bail.

Bronn’s body was found by a domestic worker at his Sea Point home on 7 February. It is believed that he was strangled to death although police have not confirmed the cause of death.

He was the owner of the popular Bronx and Navigaytion nightclubs in the city’s gay strip.