Furore expected at rape accused’s bail hearing
A court official has since leaked to Barberton Times that due to the public interest on Yende’s case, many state Legal Aid attorneys are declining to defend him.
Having spent Christmas and New Year behind bars, rape accused Sizwe Yende is expected to appear in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court tomorrow. He made his previous appearance in court on November 18 before magistrate Thulisile Mthethwa.
It was at that court session that his Legal Aid Board defence attorney, Maloko Molomo excused himself from representing Yende after they disagreed over the bail application.
Yende wanted his defence to continue to file for bail on the day while Molomo wanted to abandon the application. Following the clash, Molomo told Mthethwa that he was withdrawing from representing Yende.
Appearing tomorrow, Yende is expected to have a new Legal Aid Board defence attorney after having promised the magistrate that he would be able to provide one when he next appeared in court.
A court official has since leaked to Barberton Times that due to the public interest on Yende’s case, many state Legal Aid attorneys are declining to defend him.
“These lawyers are human beings residing within the community. They don’t want to be seen as lawyers representing thugs the community wants to be sent to prison. With the African National Congress Women’s League always demonstrating outside the court during his appearance, many lawyers don’t want to associate themselves with Yende. It will be difficult for him to get a state defence, let alone one residing in Umjindi,” said the source.
Yende was arrested on October 8 after he had allegedly lured a three-year-old girl at Rimer’s Creek from the Shoprite Supermarket to the park where he allegedly raped her. She was apparently visiting the store with her parents when the incident occurred.
When her parents couldn’t find her, they became worried and looked for her all over the shop.
Later they requested Shoprite management to review the CCTV cameras in an effort to trace the toddler’s whereabouts.
The camera footage allegedly showed the child exiting the shop with a man, who was later identified as Yende.
The child’s parents and community members began to look for her. She was discovered around 19:00 at the stream in Rimer’s Creek. She was unconscious and was rushed to Barberton General Hospital from where she was later transferred to Rob Ferreira Hospital.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress Women’s League is expected to picket outside the Barberton Magistrate’s Court in opposition to Yende’s bail application.
