It was a busy day at Court B where family members attended court to hear the fate of their loved ones that appeared at the Witbank Magistrate’s Court. Thursday, September 1 saw some cases being transferred to Court C whilst others were sent to Vosman Magistrate’s Court.
The first case on the roll was that of a man that was arrested for being found in possession of drugs on April 16. The man was on bail and chose to conduct his own defence. The case was struck off the roll awaiting forensics’ outcome. As soon as the results are available the man will be summoned to appear in court.
Three men were charged with robbery with aggravated circumstances. Their case was postponed to September 9 awaiting the Regional Court’s decision concerning the matter.
“Without the legal documentation you are not allowed to be in this country,” those were the remarks the magistrate told the accused. The accused was arrested after being found with no passport. During his first appearance the magistrate advised the man to go back to his birth country and to apply for a passport and only then will he be able to come back to South Africa and proceed with his life. The man had no previous or pending convictions. He remained in custody and will appear on September 9 for his plea.
The fight of keeping drugs out of the streets of eMalahleni continues, this was evident when a man was locked behind bars for committing this crime. He was caught with five pinches of heroine. The man who remained in custody ever since his arrest was asked if he opted to either conduct his own defence, apply for a legal aid lawyer or hire a lawyer at his own cost. He took the option of having a legal aid lawyer to be his representative. Bail was fixed in the amount of R1000 and his case was remanded to September 13 for plea.
Another man was arrested for being found with no legal documentation that permits him to be in the country. The 19-year-old man is from Zimbabwe and was arrested on August 18 at the Central Business District (CBD). He pleaded guilty and a statement from his lawyer was read on his behalf.
“I am sorry for the crime that I have committed,” read a sentence from the statement.
His passport expired a while back while he was still a resident at Welkom in the Free State but it was not clear on which date his passport expired.
The statement further read that the man is a street vendor who is trying to make a decent living for himself.
Bearing all those conditions in mind the lawyer suggested that the 19-year-old gets a fine of R500 or have his sentence suspended.
However it was not for the first time that he had committed a crime, he was previously convicted of trespassing in May 2015.
The magistrate sentenced him to pay a R500 fine.
“Please go back to your country of origin and obtain a passport because if you are arrested for the very same offence again there will be higher consequences,” emphasised the magistrate.
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