POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 20: Julius Malema and his lawyer Tumi Mokoena during his court appearance at the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on June 20, 2013, in Polokwane, South Africa. Malema faces charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering, and racketeering. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Elijar Mushiana)..
EFF leader Julius Malema believes his lawyer, advocate Tumi Mokoena, is innocent, and this will be proven in court.
Mokoena was granted R10 000 bail in the Thabamoopo Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, and faces four counts of attempted murder after he allegedly shot and wounded four farmworkers at Zebediela Citrus Estate outside Polokwane last Thursday.
Malema was in court to support the well-known lawyer, who has represented him in his dispute with the SA Revenue Services and the land invasion cases in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State courts.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, the EFF leader called for peace, and said he wanted to meet with the farmworkers to understand what led to the confrontation between them and Mokoena.
“We believe that Mr Mokoena is innocent, and it will be proven in court, and we have full confidence in our judiciary. We hope that the sooner they resolved this matter the better,” Malema said.
It is understood that when Mokoena visited the estate last week to represent five workers who had salary disputes with the farm’s management, a group of angry farmworkers confronted him with sticks and stones, and demanded that he leave the property.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Moatshe Ngoepe said Mokoena would be back in court on August 25.
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