ANC chief whip to go on trial in June

12 Dec 2008 11:50 - Staff Reporter

ANC chief whip Mnyamezeli Booi is to go on trial for fraud in June next year, not in February as had been expected, it was reported on Friday.

African National Congress chief whip Mnyamezeli Booi is to go on trial in June next year, not in February as had been expected.

Booi faces a R140 000 fraud charge stemming from the Scorpions’ investigation into MPs’ abuse of travel vouchers.

His legal team and prosecutors met Cape Town regional Magistrate Michelle Adams in her chambers on Friday, and said afterwards that two weeks had been set aside for the trial from June 1.

Booi was not present, apparently due to a misunderstanding over whether his presence was necessary, but he is expected to make a token appearance before Adams later in the day.

His trial was originally set for September this year, but was postponed to February so that he could get access to a forensic report supposed to be prepared for the group of travel agents who have been charged separately in the Cape High Court.

However, Booi’s legal team told Adams on Friday that they no longer intended to wait for that report and intended to commission their own.—Sapa

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