Meyiwa judge slams defence after counsel no-show
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has slammed the defence in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial after yet another early adjournment on Friday.
Mokgoatlheng accused the defence counsel of not taking the case seriously.
His comments come after counsel for accused one and two, Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, was a no-show for proceedings on Friday.
“You know I don’t come to court without preparing,” the judge said.
“You know I was preparing when I was coming here, and I was phoned by my register to say that the application will no longer be taking place. I am not the kind of judge who comes to court without having prepared. It’s just unfortunate that there are some persons who don’t take this court case seriously.”
An instructing attorney in the trial-within-a-trial, Sipho Ramosepele, told the court that Mngomezulu would not be present for Friday’s proceedings due to ill health.
Mngomezulu also withdrew an application which would challenge the Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) from the vehicle that the witness, Sergeant Vusumuzi Mogane, was travelling in when accused two, Bongani Ntanzi, went for his first alleged confession.
The AVL report was set to prove to the court that Mogane made a few stops when he transported Ntanzi from the Moot Police Station to Moroka Police Station in Soweto on the said day.
The said stops are said to support Ntanzi’s versions that police stopped in Alberton, Germiston, Bara and Orlando, where he would be assaulted.
Proceedings will continue on Monday.
ALSO READ:
