South Africa's former deputy police chief facing sexual offenses denied bail

South Africa’s embattled former deputy national police commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya, on Tuesday was denied bail by the Randburg Magistrates Court.

It said he had failed to present exceptional circumstances on why he should not remain behind bars and agreed with prosecutors that his release would pose a threat to witnesses.

The 59-year-old faces multiple charges, including the alleged raping an 18-year-old, human trafficking, and the sexual grooming of a 16-year-old girl**.**

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it welcomed the court's decision.

"We are not talking about happiness. All we can say is that justice has been served,” said its spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago.

“Our job as the prosecutors is to give all the facts before the magistrate, and we have succeeded to give the facts,” he said.

In arguing against Sibiya’s release on bail, the NPA also said it was concerned the former deputy police commissioner could attempt to flee the country.

Speaking outside the court, Kganyago said it is ready to oppose any appeal against the ruling saying “justice has to be served in its totality”.

Sibiya, who resigned from the police service earlier this month following his arrest in September, has denied all the charges.

He claimed his sexual encounter with the 18-year-old complainant was consensual.

According to the allegations, he gave the woman alcohol before she lost consciousness and was raped at a hotel in Johannesburg.

Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe said there was evidence suggesting Sibiya would go to great lengths to conceal evidence against him.

Sibiya has been the subject of a judicial commission of inquiry investigating wide-ranging allegations of corruption within the police and alleged ties to the country’s criminal networks.

At the commission, which is chaired by a retired judge, Sibiya has been accused of having close links to alleged members of these networks and receiving large sums of cash and gifts from them.