Johannesburg — Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng had to delay the Senzo Meyiwa trial after one of the defence advocates failed to appear in court on Friday due to ill health.
The court was expected to hear arguments relating to an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) report when advocate Thulani Mngomezulu did not appear in court. Mngomezulu was supposed to give his arguments regarding the AVL report, which he did not want as evidence, IOL reported.
Mngomezulu’s client is accused number two in the case, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, who alleged that police made several stops and assaulted him in an attempt to get him to confess to Meyiwa’s murder.
The state brought the AVL report detailing car movements which were done by police when they transported Ntanzi and Mngomezulu challenged the State for bringing the evidence, saying it couldn’t be used because it wasn’t brought earlier.
SENZO MEYIWA TRIAL: WITNESSES UNDER CROSS-EXAMINATION https://t.co/pojr5KQ3zo
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 10, 2023
State advocate George Baloyi informed the court that Mngomezulu had abandoned his application challenging the report. It was then that Advocate Sipho Ramosepele said that that there are some changes and they will be challenging the report and will be ready to proceed on Monday.
He said that if Mngomezulu was not yet back by Monday, he would proceed on his own.
Judge Mokgoatlheng said he had prepared to hear arguments and was taken aback by the new changes, saying that some people are not treating the case with the seriousness it deserves.
“I come here prepared and ready, and suddenly I have an advocate saying, ‘Tell the judge it’s not necessary to prepare’. It’s just unfortunate that there are some people who don’t take this case seriously,” he said.
Many people have died because of this case. Then Ratha says there are people who don’t take the trial serious. Mngomezulu is sick not that he decided not to come#SenzoMeyiwaTrial#SenzoMeyiwa
— Tšhegofatšo (@MaabuleM) November 10, 2023
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
