Twenty-two-year-old Marthinus Pelser’s case has been postponed again.
Pelser stands accused of having murdered his six-month-old baby, Deon, in June 2016. Magistrate Delize Smith was visibly agitated when Pelser’s legal council, Advocate Van Rensburg, once again asked for a postponement based on the fact that he has yet to obtain the transcript of the bail hearing. She scolded him, saying she gave him explicit instructions at the previous hearing as to how and where he should request it. He countered that he did try but that “the office was locked”. Smith would have none of it.
Before the court was adjourned she bemoaned the fact that it has been nearly a year since the murder and that no trial date could be set yet. The matter was postponed until 23 May, pending the defence obtaining the transcript.
Pelser had a new haircut – a so-called mohawk. He looked relaxed and at one stage was even seen joking with one of the court orderlies.
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