It was a very agitated Mayor Richard Mbatha who appeared in the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court on Monday. He and fellow accused, Estcourt Councillor, Mthembeni Majola and would-be hitman, Xolani Makhathini, are accused of plotting to kill Endumeni Council Speaker, Bongiwe Mbatha-Makhathini.
Mayor Mbatha told journalists, following their brief court appearance, that they are ‘being treated in a very rude manner because of the delays’.
BREAKING: Mayor Mbatha, two others arrested for conspiracy
UPDATE: The case against Mayor Mbatha has been postponed …
Mayor Mbatha to appear in court
Mayor charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder …
BREAKING: Mayor out on R2000 bail |
The three accused were told on Monday, by Magistrate Sam Mpungose, that their matter had been set for trial in the Estcourt Regional Court on September 10.
“There are many delays and what’s more, I had to travel down from Dundee to Estcourt early this morning for a court appearance, but then we had to wait for the investigating officer who was about two hours late,” Mayor Mbatha grumbled. He also complained that the docket was in Bergville ‘which is a long way from Estcourt’. “We have to spend lots of money for lawyers because of the State.”
