The state and defence have agreed on a follow-up date for a pre-trial conference in June next year, with a murder trial for rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and his celebrity chef friend Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane scheduled to sit the following month.
This comes after a morning of high drama at the Durban high court on Wednesday where judge Jacqueline Henriques lambasted the parties for the slow pace of pre-trial conference proceedings.
“I am not signing the matter trial ready. This is in discussion with the office of the judge president,” said an irate Henriques.
Forbes and Motsoane were gunned down at the now defunct Wish restaurant in Florida Road in February 2023.
Thabani Mkhwanazi, 30 Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, 35, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, 21, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, 36, and Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Ndimande, 29, were arrested in February last year in connection with the deaths.
Deputy director of public prosecutions Lawrence Gcaba said the state was withholding statements of additional witnesses for safety reasons.
Defence counsel advocate Simphiwe Mlotshwa said he was considering bringing an application compelling the state to give them the witness statements.
TimesLIVE understand the state plans to bring 45 witnesses to testify.
Before the matter stood down for the two parties to iron out their differences over the witnesses, the judge cautioned the parties for voicing some of the issues in open court in the presence of the press.
When the matter resumed, Gcaba asked for a postponement to June 19 next year.
“Parties will adhere to the order as per the indictment. This is inclusive of the pre-trial matter being finalised,” said Gcaba.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said in the interim, the state and the defence would iron out pending or outstanding issues.
“This will also allow the trial judge to be appointed. There has been a draft order in which trial dates have been suggested. We envisage a trial beginning in July 2026 and going all the way to mid-October,” she said.
“Those are available days for trial and also one must understand that these dates are a result of consultation between the two parties.”
TimesLIVE
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