A South African High Court in Bhisho in the Eastern Cape has moved the hearing of the Nelson Mandela memorial fraud case to the first of next month.
This comes after a state witness, who was supposed to testify about the procurement of t-shirts, missed a flight to the province.
The t-shirts were allegedly bought when the country was mourning the death of former president Nelson Mandela in 2013.
The accused have been charged with fraud, money laundering and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
This relates to the R10 million which was allegedly siphoned from the Buffalo City Metro’s coffers during Mandela’s memorial and funeral.
Evidence
On Monday, the defence for the 11 accused in the fraud case is accused the state of withholding crucial evidence.
The said evidence relates to cellphone records which the state is accused of being in possession of for a long time but only bringing it to bear now.
The latest development in the case has raised the ire of the Judge Igna Stretch. She lashed out against the legal teams for causing further delays.
“We are all going to die of old age before the trial ends. And I am not protesting to you only, I am getting all of you. Please, if you have something to say deal with it in order and lets follow the criminal procedure act. I am not going to deal with applications from applications each and every morning particularly not from council who made an undertaking on who I rely to be available on certain days of this trial and it is already beginning to fall to pieces.”
