WATCH | Kodwa seeks trial split from Mackay after case faces new setback

Kodwa

Cape Town — Former Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, is considering requesting a separation of trials from his co-accused, Jehan Mackay, following another delay in their case.

Kodwa and Mackay are facing trial for bribery charges, with Mackay allegedly paying Kodwa R1.7 million in bribes.

The bribe was allegedly intended to influence Kodwa to use his governmental position to direct state tenders to Mackay’s tech company.

Both accused appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

While both the state and Kodwa’s legal team were prepared to proceed to trial, Mackay filed applications to have the charges against him dropped.

According to EWN, Mackay’s initial application was rejected by the specialized commercial crimes unit, and due to an administrative error, his second application had to be resubmitted.

According to The Citizen, state prosecutor, Neville Mogagabe, said that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) did not receive Mackay’s application and he requested the postponement to 3 October.

Mackay’s advocate, Ian Small-Smith, said that his client had submitted the application on 13 August, and was uncertain as to why it was not received, He added that that it was an unfortunate issue.

“It is an unfortunate state of affairs; we certainly do not intend to waste anybody’s time. In my client’s mind, it was submitted nearly a month ago. But I absolutely accept the word of the DPP that he has not received it yet,” he said.

According to Newzroom Afrika, Kodwa’s legal counsel, advocate Zola Majavu, said they are ready to go to court, and the current delays have harmed Kodwa’s reputation negatively.

“He plays in a political environment and where he goes he is a skelm who’s taken some money corruptly. We are ready, we want our day in court,” Majavu said.

He hopes this is the final time that there are delays in the case and said that Mackay’s applications have nothing to do with Kodwa but the two were metaphorically joined at the hip.

“I just want the record to reveal that and to specifically record that we were ready three months ago, we were ready today,  and we will be ready on the 3rd of October. If on the 3rd of October, there is no progress, no one will be taken by surprise with what our intentions are,” Majavu said.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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