Strategy to Delay Timol Murder Trial?
8 April 2021
João ‘Jan’ Anastacio Rodrigues made another court appearance at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg this morning for his role in the murder of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol. A visibly upset Judge Monama, who is presiding over the management of the Roderigues’s criminal trial was livid in court today.
The long awaited decision from the SCA in Bloemfontein is pending after appeal from the legal team of Roderigues was heard on 6 November 2019.
“Roderigues remains innocent until proven guilty,” remarked Monama. He however questioned the lengthy detail for the commencement of the criminal trial. The family had been waiting for justice as 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the murder of Timol.
The judge further remarked that what he found completely baffling was the continued legal representation of Roderigues by Mr. Ben Minnaar. Minnaar previously worked for the State Attorney’s office and represented Roderigues at the re-opened inquest in 2017. Roderigues made his first criminal court appearance in 2018. Minnaar had by then resigned and gone into private practice.
He was then appointed by the State Attorney’s office to represent Roderigues as his instructing attorney in the criminal trial. Presently, Roderigues is also represented by Advocates Cilliers SC and Coetzee SC. The State continues paying for Roderigues’s legal fees. The Judge added that the resources of the country are been exploited and overplayed with the lengthy court delays. It appeared as if there was a strategy to prolong the commencement of the criminal trial. The judge viewed the lengthy delay as depressing.
The Timol re-opened inquest was concluded on 12 October 2017 when Judge Mothle reversed the 1972 verdict of suicide to the murder of Ahmed Timol. Roderigues made his first court appearance on 30 July 2018. Nearly three years later, his criminal trial has not yet commenced.
In order to expedite proceedings, Roderigues is set to re-appear at the Palmridge High Court on 6 May 2021. His bail was extended.
Issued by Imtiaz Cajee, 8 April 2021
