McBride back in the dock

The drunken-driving trial of Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride resumes in the Pretoria Regional Court on Monday.

McBride faces charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol, reckless and negligent driving, defeating the ends of justice and fraud, relating to a car accident on the R511, near Pretoria, in December 2006.

Earlier this month, McBride won a bid to gain access to statements relating to his trial.

The statements which McBride said he needed to prepare his defence were made by state witnesses Itumeleng Koko, Stanley Sagathevan and Patrick Johnson.

Last year the National Prosecuting Authority granted McBride’s colleagues and witnesses to his accident—Koko, Sagathevan and Johnson—immunity from prosecution for information relating to the incident.

Meaanwhile, Dr Joseph Morolong Moratioa is due to appear in court on Monday on charges of defrauding the state by pretending he had examined McBride after the accident.

Former metro police officer Hendrik Degenaar is also due to appear on charges of defeating the ends of justice relating to the accident. He is alleged to have assaulted a witness at the accident scene.

Earlier this month, the Ekurhuleni mayor’s office said it would investigate allegations that McBride had been seen back at work since September 1, despite having been put on “special leave” pending the outcome of the case.