Carl Niehaus to find out in June whether his case on violating Covid rules will be dismissed

The Estcourt Magistrate’s Court in KwaZulu-Natal is expected next month to rule on whether to dismiss the state’s case against outspoken ANC member Carl Niehaus.

Niehaus on Monday appeared in court for the resumption of his case for allegedly contravening the country’s Covid-19 regulations last year.

Niehaus faces charges in terms of the Disaster Management Act after he held a pro-Jacob Zuma rally outside the Estcourt Correctional Centre in July 2021.

At the time, Zuma was incarcerated for contempt of the Constitutional Court and South Africa was under alert level 4 lockdown, with all gatherings prohibited except for funerals.

ALSO READ: Niehaus rubbishes claims that Zuma supporters contravened Covid-19 rules

Discharge application

Following the conclusion of the state’s case by advocate Yuri Gangai, Niehaus’s lawyer on Monday brought an application in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act to have the case discharged.

Advocate Nthabiseng Mokoena argued that the state had no evidence to present a strong case against her client after two video clips were played in court as evidence.

Admission of guilt fine

During his arrest on 8 July 2021, Niehaus was given the option to pay an admission of guilt fine of R3,000. But he refused to pay the fine and opted to challenge the charges in court.

Niehaus believes that the state has no case against him and that the charges he faces were politically motivated.

The case was adjourned to 27 June 2022 for a ruling on the application.

Meanwhile, Niehaus on Tuesday morning appeared at the Pietermaritzburg High Court to support Zuma in his arms deal corruption trial.

Zuma and French arms company Thales face several charges including fraud, racketeering and money laundering linked to the multibillion-rand arms deal.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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