Magistrate sets deadline to begin trial for Kloof granny’s murder
At the request of the defence, the magistrate conceded to call this latest postponement, the final remand until 8 October.
Magistrate Stanley Hlophe, this morning, ordered what he said would be the final postponement in the case against the man accused of murdering Kloof grandmother, Jenny King, Highway Mail reports.
Charles Ridgway, the musician boyfriend of King, whose body was found in her Forest Hills home in the early hours of Saturday, 12 January 2019 by her daughter, returned to Regional Court 2 at Pinetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning for the continuation of the pre-trial conference in the matter of the state’s case of murder against him.
In July, when Ridgway last appeared at Pinetown Magistrate’s court, a small crowd gathered to show solidarity with victims of gender-based violence (GBV).
Yesterday there were, once again, women outside the court precincts including the daughter of Jenny King, Lee-Anne.
According to NPA spokesperson, Natasha Kara, yesterday’s appearance had been set in order to give the State time to reply to the defence request for further particulars including details about mobile phone accounts.
When the State prosecutor, Vikesh Sewnath asked for another postponement until 8 October, Ridgway’s representative, Adv Du Plessis asked that the postponement include the wording that this was would be the final delay.
It was expected that a decision would be made about whether the case would continue in the regional court, or be moved to the Durban High Court.
Instead, further discussion about outstanding evidence, particularly information relating to mobile phone locations, took up the most time in the short proceedings.
Du Plessis told the court that the accused had been severely affected by the delays in the proceedings and had lost his source of income as a music teacher, as the schools had cancelled their contracts with him due to the charges he was facing.
Sewnath, for the state replied that the delays were due to the Covid-19 lockdown, and other situations beyond the court’s control had all been a factor.
The case has been postponed for final remand to Thursday, 8 October.
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