The Durban magistrate’s court on Wednesday postponed the tax fraud case against Durban businessman Thoshan Panday to October 4 to conduct an enquiry into his absence from court.
This was because the head of Westville Prison did not inform the court that Panday, 52, would not be attending court.
“Despite a medical certificate being produced by his legal representative and handed in to the record indicating Panday is admitted in a private hospital in Durban, the magistrate deemed it befitting for the head of prison and the admitting doctor where he is allegedly kept for medical attention be subpoenaed to account for his absence and for not informing the court and the state,” said the spokesperson for the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, Henry Mamothame.
The purpose of the postponement on September 9, when he was denied bail, to Wednesday was for the case to be transferred to the Durban high court. “The state requested a further detention warrant to be issued to extend his detention in his absence,” said Mamothame.
TimesLIVE
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