Algoa FM
The trial involving nine people and a company charged with 140 counts of corruption, fraud and money laundering related to Nelson Mandela Bay's IPTS bus service hit another snag in the High Court on Thursday.
The trial involving municipal officials, Mhleli Tshamase, Walter Shaidi and Nadia Gerwel, was meant to start on Monday. Still, one of their co-accused, Andrea Wessels was unable to travel due to health reasons.
Wessels' doctor has been ordered by High Court Judge Philip Zilwa to come to testify on his client's medical condition on Monday.
This decision comes after the court received two "open-ended" medical certificates which didn't disclose the reasons she was unable to travel on Monday.
Meanwhile, Wessel's legal aid lawyer, Khaya Saziwa, has been asked by the court to make arrangements to fly to Gauteng for a proper consultation with his client instead of doing it virtually.
Saziwa told the court that the Legal Aid head office was leaning towards taking a decision to fly him to Gauteng but the process would take around seven days to complete.
Judge Zilwa said the court didn't have seven days to spare as it wanted the case to get underway but he was willing to meet with Legal Aid so they can remove the red tape holding up the case.
Zilwa said that he is keen for the case to get underway but proper consultations with the accused was key.
All accused, including former Bay ANC regional secretary Zandisile Qupe, were in court on Thursday except for Wessels.
It is the State's case that between August 2013 and May 2015, all of the accused colluded to line their own pockets with money meant for the IPTS.
The accused are out on R100 000 bail each and the case has been postponed to Monday.
