Courting trouble

Judge President John Hlophe has returned to work, stirring controversy and speculation, write Nic Dawes and Sello S Alcock.

Erasmus: Zille slams Vodacom

Cape Town mayor Helen Zille has accused cellphone giant Vodacom of helping the ANC-controlled Western Cape government to illegally spy on her.

Najwa witnesses receive death threats

At least two witnesses called by the state to testify against murder-accused Najwa Petersen have been threatened with death.

Fidentia victim pleads for help at Cape High Court

A tearful victim of the Fidentia collapse on Monday pleaded with a Cape High Court judge for assistance for her crippled son -- and received some, thanks to a generous lawyer. The emotional outburst came during what was expected to be a routine postponement of the bid for final sequestration of former Fidentia boss J Arthur Brown.

Judge cautions Najwa as trial is postponed

Murder accused Najwa Petersen, now on her fourth advocate, will have to conduct her own defence if she changes her lawyer again, a Cape High Court judge warned on Wednesday. Judge Siraj Desai delivered the warning as he postponed the trial to July 28 to enable her latest advocate, Johann Engelbrecht, to get up to speed.

Judge warns Najwa after withdrawal of advocate

A judge has issued a stern warning to murder accused Najwa Petersen after learning on Tuesday she had dismissed her advocate just as she was supposed to start presenting her case for a not-guilty ruling. "We can't be held to ransom by the whims of one accused," Cape High Court judge Siraj Desai said.

Fidentia's Brown receiving ARVs after alleged rape

Fidentia's J Arthur Brown was currently receiving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in a private clinic after allegedly being sexually assaulted by prisoners in a prison vehicle, the Cape Town Magistrate's Court heard on Monday. Brown was arrested recently on charges of theft, fraud and money laundering.

Ruling on Erasmus commission reserved

A full bench of judges on Friday reserved a ruling on the bid by the City of Cape Town and the Democratic Alliance (DA) to quash the Erasmus commission. The commission was set up by Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool to probe the DA-led city's investigation of renegade councillor Badih Chaaban.

Erasmus commission battle goes to court

Having a judge head the politically loaded Erasmus commission undermined the principle of separation of powers, lawyers for the City of Cape Town and the Democratic Alliance argued on Thursday. The city and the party have asked the court to quash the commission to probe the legality of the city's spying on renegade councillor Badih Chaaban.

Ruling reserved in contempt application against Manuel

Arms-deal activist Terry Crawford-Browne on Thursday denied that he was waging a personal vendetta against Finance Minister Trevor Manuel. Addressing the Cape High Court, where he has applied for a contempt-of-court ruling against the minister and former finance director general Maria Ramos, he said: "The arms deal is not some Trevor/Terry saga."

Lotz trial: Cops sued for R46m

Fred van der Vyver is suing the government for R46-million after its failed bid to pin on him the murder of his girlfriend, Inge Lotz, the Times reported on Thursday. Van der Vyver, a Cape Town actuary, was acquitted in November last year. The judge dismissed the evidence against him as flimsy and criticised the police.

Media challenges Divorce Act

The Constitutional Court has reserved judgement on a ban prohibiting journalists from reporting on divorce cases, a media report said on Friday. Earlier this year, the Cape High Court ruled that section 12 of the Divorce Act was unconstitutional after media group Johncom brought an application challenging it.

Najwa tried to cover her tracks, court told

It was a clumsy attempt by Najwa Petersen to cover up her cellphone tracks that gave police a vital lead in solving the murder of her husband, Taliep, a police officer told the Cape High Court on Tuesday. Superintendent Piet Viljoen was testifying in the trial of Najwa and the three men she allegedly hired to kill Taliep on the night of December 16 2006.

Taliep's daughter takes stand in Najwa trial

The Cape High Court on Monday heard a graphic account of how Najwa Petersen stabbed her husband, Taliep, in the neck one night, eight months before he was murdered. It also heard that the theatre personality's life was insured for R5,3-million, and that Najwa tried after his death to have the money paid into a Namibian bank account.

Najwa fights state's bid to lead hearsay evidence

Najwa Petersen's legal team is fighting a bid by the state to lead evidence on what her husband, Taliep, told a sister about the state of their marriage, and how Najwa stabbed him. Najwa is in the dock in the Cape High Court along with three men she allegedly hired to murder Taliep on the night of December 16 2006.

Petersen 'normal' after Taliep's funeral, court told

Najwa Petersen looked suspiciously "normal" only hours after her husband Taliep's funeral, one of Taliep's sisters told the Cape High Court on Thursday. She also did not give a convincing answer when asked whether she was involved in the theatre personality's murder, Ma'atoema Groenmeyer said.

Fidentia case postponed in Brown's absence

Fidentia chief executive J Arthur Brown was on Thursday late for a scheduled appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court, on charges that include fraud involving the Transport, Education and Training Authority (Teta). In the dock without him were co-accused Dr Piet Bothma, Teta's chief executive, and Jacobus Theart.

Taliep's sister takes stand in Najwa murder trial

Taliep Petersen's sister gave up on the 10111 emergency number on the night her brother was killed, driving to a police station instead to get help, the Cape High Court heard on Thursday. Ma'atoema Groenmeyer told the court she believed her abortive 10111 call was the first attempt that anyone made to summon police.

Confession of a hit man

In the agony of remorse, one of the men arrested for Taliep Petersen's murder painstakingly wrote out a 15-page confession detailing his role in the murder. But it was Taliep's wife, Najwa, who actually pulled the trigger after giving her husband a last embrace, Waheed Hassen said.

Najwa pulled the trigger, court hears

Najwa Petersen was the one who fired the shot that killed her husband, Taliep, the Cape High Court heard on Wednesday. The claim was made in a confession by Waheed Hassen, one of the hit men she allegedly hired to carry out the killing. The confession was admitted unopposed as evidence.

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