Deacon trial: No record of Mmako requesting new legal aid
The Deacon murder trial was postponed once again in the Limpopo High Court: Polokwane Division today, much to the annoyance of the presiding judge.
POLOKWANE – The Deacon murder trial involving Sophie Mmako (Accused 1) and Casper Mudau (Accused 2) has been postponed once again to Tuesday (January 24).
Under presiding Judge Marisa Naudé-Odendaal, it was announced at the start of proceedings in the Limpopo High Court: Polokwane Division today (January 19) that the state’s legal aid did not have records of Mmako requesting for legal representation on the roll.
It is unclear if this means she had not applied for representation or got delayed by administrative processes while applying.
Proceedings were postponed on Monday (January 16) after the accused’s legal representatives withdrew from the case.
Read more: Deacon murder accused to find new legal representation
Mmako, who is out on bail, needs to have found legal counsel by the set date in order for proceedings to resume while Mudau is remanded in custody.
Naudé-Odendaal, who was visibly unimpressed with the delays, said she would not be able to continue presiding over the matter due to other occupying duties.
Mmako and Mudau are accused of murdering Lizette and Hettie Deacon in 2020.
The Deacons were attacked in their townhouse in Welgelegen on September 10, 2020, and their bodies were found in the back of Lizette’s vehicle after police gave chase and the driver of the vehicle abandoned it next to the R37 road.
Mmako, their domestic worker, is believed to be the mastermind and was arrested days after along with her co-accused.
