The 18 accused, aged between 22 and 48 are facing charges in terms of the Animal Protection Act No 71 of 1962 section 24.
The suspects were arrested last year when police closed down a dog fighting ring in Tsakane.
They appeared again today before magistrate JohnoVoogte for the start of their trial following the case’s postponement in May after the suspects’ legal representatives plea of a new sitting arrangement or another courtroom where all the suspects would be able to sit down.
Because the courtroom was too small, the suspects had no choice but to sit in the public gallery.
To start the suspects’ trial, prosecutor Bradford Dias read the charge faced by the suspects and Voogte asked the suspects to plead.
All the suspects pleaded not guilty.
The statements submitted by the suspects were read in the court.
In the statement all the suspects denied their involvement in the criminal act and revealed that they were brutally assaulted by the SPCA officials who arrested them on the scene.
Accused number six in a statement argued that he was on the scene after he was informed by the other suspects that there were SPCA officials and went to check what was happening as he was responsible for looking after the premises that became the crime scene
One of the suspects argued that he was on the scene to look for his dog that went missing two days before the incident, however all the suspects explained that they did not see the people who had the dogs fighting.
Constable Bianca Bell was then called to the witness stand.
Bell explained to the court that on their arrival on the scene with the SPCA officials who received a call informing them of an illegal dog fighting, she saw two suspects holding dogs.
She said after they introduced themselves to the suspects, the two men tried to flee from the scene but they were arrested 15 to 20 meteres from the scene.
Voogte then postponed the case and more witnesses are expected to be called to the witness stand tomorrow.
