Catch up on the high profile court cases that happened in your area.
• Domestic worker accomplice appears in court
Deliwe Zwakala and three other suspects were charged with robbery with aggravation, murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Thohira Mitha last year December. The case was postponed several times throughout the process, with all suspects’ bail being denied. It was further postponed to 16 August for a ballistics report. The case was heard on 2 December and was then moved to the High Court for further proceedings.
• Randburg Police charged with assault
Lana Stander accused four Randburg Police officers of assaulting her while she was awake and more did so while she was unconscious. Stander was arrested on 14 February after she was involved in a car accident in Ferndale. She claimed that the officers mistook her epilepsy for drunkenness. The charges were later dropped and an internal investigation took place.
• Axe man off the hook, for now
The man accused of striking a fellow motorist with an axe three times in Randburg in November last year appeared in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on 27 February. His case has been struck off the role until the State can finalise its investigations.
• Luke Tibbetts murder accused found guilty
Lindray Khakhu the man accused of killing toddler Luke Tibbetts in a drive-by shooting in Westbury on 2 August 2014, appeared in the Sophiatown Magistrates’ Court on 12 August. The case was moved to the High Court at Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court. Khakhu was found guilty on all 18 criminal charges and sentenced to life imprisonment on 27 March and a further 25 years for five counts of attempted murder and 9 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
• BREAKING NEWS: Rape at Linden Police Station
Sergeant Derick Phanyana was accused of allegedly raping a 25-year-old detainee at the Linden Police Station’s holding cell, while on duty, on 28 June. He first appearded at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on 9 July and received R10 000 bail. The case was postponed to 19 August for further instructions from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). He then appeared on 16 October where it was yet again postponed to 10 December pending DNA results [https://randburgsun.co.za/271066/linden-policemans-rape-case-postponed/]. During court proceedings it was yet again postponed to 18 December for disclosure.
• Flabba Trial:
Nkulukelo ‘Flabba’ Habedi was killed at his home in Alexandra on 9 March. He died due to a stab wound to his heart. Sindiswe Manqele (his girlfriend) is accused of murdering him and has pleaded not guilty and said she acted in self-defence. The trial took over 11 days in the High Court sitting at Randburg Magistrates’ Court; it was first heard on 7 September. Numerous witnesses were called for both the State and Manqele. The trial was postponed to 23 November for closing arguments. Manqele was found guilty on 9 December and released on R15 000 bail on 10 December. Sentencing will commence on 9 March 2016.
• Case of man accused of stabbing wife postponed
The accused’s wife was found bleeding to death from multiple stab wounds in Bryanston on 16 August and allegedly implicated her husband in her dying moments.
The accused was then arrested in Pietermaritzburg three days later after attempting to commit suicide by overdosing on an unknown substance. The case was postponed to 30 September for further investigation and also to allow the defendant to undergo a 30-day mental assessment before he would be allowed to plead. It was then further postponed to 2 December as he was still number 109 on the list of beds at Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital.
• Mandela’s grandson arrested for raping a 15-year-old girl
Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mbuso Mandela was arrested following charges of rape, he appeared at the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on 17 August. He is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl inside one of the toilets at a restaurant in Greenside on 7 August. He was granted R7000 on 25 August.
• Driver involved in Simba Mhere’s death appears in court
Preshalin Naidoo, the driver involved in the fatal car accident of Top Billings’ Simba Mhere and his passenger Kady-Shady O’ Bryan appeared in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on 4 June. Mhere and O’Bryan lost their lives in an accident on 31 January on William Nicol and N1. The case was postponed on 23 July for further instructions and then again on 18 August for an accident report. The trial date was set for 26 August again being postponed to 29 October. After being rolled over to the 30 October for Naidoo to get defense the case had the final postponement to 8,9 and 11 December. The trial started on 8 December where the court ventured to an inspection in loco. The case was postponed on 9 December to 29 March 2016.
