Gauteng advocate charged with raping minor no longer an acting judge

The Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has confirmed that an advocate due to go on trial for the alleged rape of a minor is not acting as a judge in the Labour Court.

The Gauteng advocate briefly appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

The matter was postponed to 29 May for the Senior Public Prosecutor to consider representations by the defence.

The advocate, listed as a member of the Bridge Group of Advocates, is facing charges of sexual molestation, sexual grooming of a minor and other Schedule 5 charges.

“The advocate is no longer an acting judge – this has been in place for a while,” spokesperson Nathi Mncube told News24 on Thursday.

News24 earlier reported that the accused was a family friend of the victim, and the incidents of alleged sexual abuse happened during social events at the victim’s family home between 2004 and 2007.

The victim opened a case at the Parkview Police Station in 2017 and the accused made his first court appearance in February 2018.

The advocate had practised in labour and matrimonial matters since 2000. His profile further states that he served as a commissioner of the Small Claims Court and also had acting judgeships in the Labour Court.

The accused has not been named as he is yet to plead in the matter.

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