Vicki Momberg granted bail, pending her appeal
2 August 2018
Former estate agent Vicki Momberg, who was convicted in connection with a racist rant, has been granted R2000 bail, in the Randburg Magistrate's Court, pending the outcome of the appeal of her prison sentence and conviction.
“We have taken into account the situation and circumstances that you are in,” Magistrate Pravina Rugoonandan said in handing down her ruling on Thursday.
Momberg applied for bail after being granted leave to appeal both her conviction and her sentence by the South Gauteng High Court on Monday.
No bail conditions were set.
State prosecutor Yusuf Baba said the state discussed the matter with Momberg’s lawyer, Kingdom Onah, and decided not to oppose bail.
Baba said Momberg was on warning when she was on trial and did not miss one court appearance. He added that she had spent four months in prison and was due for parole soon. Proceedings were initially delayed when Onah asked the court to remove Momberg’s shackles. “My client showed no violence and there is no reason for her to be shackled. Her dignity has been impaired and violates her rights,” Onah said.
Onah told the court on Tuesday that Momberg had no source of income, and that she was being supported financially by her parents who are pensioners. Onah said that fixing a high amount of bail would be paramount to preventing her from getting bail as she could not afford it.He said Momberg could only afford bail of R2000.
Baba said they did not object bail being set for R2000.
She was sentenced in March to three years in prison, of which one year was suspended, following her racist tirade in 2016.
Momberg was found guilty of four counts of crimen injuria on November 3 for calling a black police officer the k-word 48 times when he came to her aid following a smash-and-grab incident.
The matter has been postponed to November 25.
