Vicki Momberg’s attempt to appeal against her two-year jail sentence has been postponed. Momberg appeared briefly in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court where the defence requested a postponement.
Addressing the court, Momberg’s lawyer, Kingdom Onah, told the court that their advocate, Kevin Lawlor, was not well so they could not prepare fully for the appeal application.
According to Onah, Lawlor was admitted to hospital on 2 April.
The attorney also requested a postponement to allow the state to furnish them with transcripts that they need to prepare their case.
Momberg was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment last week by Magistrate Pravina Rugoonandan. She is the first person in the country to be sentenced to direct imprisonment for crimen injuria.
READ: Vicki Momberg to spend two years in jail for using the K-word
Speaking outside court shortly after the proceedings, Onah said they were confident that the sentence and conviction will be overturned.
He said the defence team was working tirelessly to get Momberg out of jail as soon as possible. On whether his client is coping, Onah said Momberg was coping well despite the unfortunate circumstance of being in prison.
There were a few individuals who came to court to show their support for Momberg as they pointed out that they felt her sentence was a bit harsh.
Dan Roodt, the Afrrikaans Pro-Afrikaans Action Group (Praag) director said the sentence was indeed harsh.
Roodt said the use of racial insults was the price of a multicultural society.
“I, as an Afrikaner, have been insulted intensely. Crimen injuria has been committed against me as an Afrikaner by different race and language groups in this country and I don’t think any of those people could ever get this type of sentence.”
Momberg’s application for leave to appeal the sentence and conviction has been postponed to 11 April.
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