Trial of men accused of break-ins at state offices delayed

The two Pretoria men charged in connection with a spate of break-ins at state offices won't get their wish for a speedy trial just yet.

Moses Mtakiso‚ 39‚ and Moses Magolego‚ 40‚ heard at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Thursday that their trial was not ready to start.

This is because the state has not completed its investigations. It needed a few more weeks to finalise the probe‚ prosecutor Mathews Monyae told the court.

Monyae told magistrate Kiru Pillay the state was still awaiting fingerprints and DNA results.

Monyae also still did not have results of facial comparisons conducted on video footage obtained at a crime scene.

Pillay granted Monyae's request‚ postponing the matter to October 26.

The postponement brings to the fore the delays in obtaining DNA and fingerprint results from state laboratories.

During their first appearance on August 13‚ Mtakiso and Magolego forfeited their right to apply for bail‚ saying they did not intend to waste the court's time.

“I plead guilty to all the charges. I don't want to waste [the court's] time‚” a laid-back Mtakiso told the court at the time.

Magolego‚ also seemingly unperturbed‚ told court the same thing. But‚ following their first appearance‚ the matter was postponed for the second time on Thursday. Pillay adjourned it on August 21 to Thursday‚ following Monyae's request for a postponement.

The accused were arrested at a time of heightened burglaries at state offices in Pretoria.

The state brought eight break-in and business robbery charges against Mtakiso‚ and one charge against Magolego.

The charge against Magolego emanated from a break-in and robbery he allegedly pulled off with Mtakiso in an office inside the Pretoria Magistrate's Court.

In this burglary‚ the pair allegedly made off with a laptop and a memory stick belonging to Joyce Ntuli‚ an official of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)‚ on July 20.

Mtakiso also faces charges for allegedly breaking into NPA offices located in downtown Pretoria. He allegedly stole two laptops belonging to prosecutors Andre Fourie and Jennifer Cronje.

Cronje‚ who is handling the state's case against four men accused of executing North West businessman Wandile Bozwana‚ also lost a memory stick.

Mtakiso also allegedly targeted Koedoe Arcade‚ a building housing offices of Police Minister Fikile Mbalula and acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba.

Mtakiso‚ who appears to have gone on a crime spree‚ allegedly also hit the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court twice – stealing a cellphone and a briefcase belonging to a brigadier.

- SowetanLIVE