Nicole Johnson blocks prison transfer ahead of bail application

CAPE TOWN business vrou Nicole Johnson has scored a small win after officials backed down on plans to transfer her to a remote jail ahead of her preparations to bring her third bail application.

Johnson and her husband, alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield, and others face 41 charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), including murder, attempted murder, fraud, illegal firearms possession, possession of unlawful ammunition and conspiracy to commit murder.

According to her legal representative attorney Aadil Mayet, Johnson was told by Pollsmoor officials on 21 November that she and eight other female bandiete would be moved to Vanrhynsdorp due to overcrowding. 

The instruction was given verbally with no documentation or explanation provided

Mayet told the Daily Voice that they then brought an urgent application at the weekend.

Johnson said in the letter that the move would have made it extremely difficult for her children, who would need to travel seven hours to visit, and argued that overcrowding was caused by Pollsmoor housing sentenced offenders. 

She also suggested the timing felt 'calculated and intentional,' especially with her upcoming bail bid.

However, after the application was filed, officials changed the stated reason for the transfer to “security reasons”, although they declined to explain what those reasons were.

Mayet said: “On what conceivable basis do they say that they are removing her for security reasons when the first reason given to us that it’s overcrowding?”

Mayet says they were preparing to bring another urgent application on Friday, but after discussions with legal services on Wednesday, officials confirmed that Johnson would stay at Pollsmoor, and that any future relocation would require advance notice to her legal team.