By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and Member of Parliament (MP) Mbuyiseni Ndlozi assault trial has been postponed to 3 June 2022.
The final state witness, who was expected to take the stand on Friday morning, failed to show up on Friday.
During proceedings, the magistrate said that the witness had not specified any medical conditions that would prevent her attendance in court, despite a prior arrangement with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to appear in court.
The witness’s failure to pitch prompted the magistrate to sternly remind the state that the assault charges dated back to 2019 – and this case should have seen a speedier conclusion.
The magistrate has instructed the NPA to submit their heads of argument electronically by 13 May 2022, while the defence heads of argument are due by 20 May 2022.
Malema and Ndlozi had travelled from Mpumalanga to make their court appearance and indicated through their lawyer, Advocate Laurence Hodes, that they needed to return to the province to attend the funeral of Hillary Gardee.
They are charged with assaulting a police officer Lieutenant Colonel Johannes Jacobus Venter at the funeral of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at Fourways Memorial Park in April 2018.
During their last court appearance, Malema accused the prosecutors of being “incompetent and lazy”.
He accused senior prosecutor Yusuf Baba of taking too long to wrap up the 2018 assault case.
Malema and Ndlozi have pleaded not guilty and claimed that Venter attempted to stop them from entering the cemetery to bid farewell to Madikizela-Mandela.
Livestream Video Below:
Video Courtesy of EFFSA.