A senior state prosecutor told the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday that the state is working non-stop in the murder investigation of senior Free State official Noby Ngombane.
Advocate Jannie Botha said the investigating team has, among other things, visited Zimbabwe and Botswana as part of the investigation — two places Ngombane had visited just before his death in March this year.
”[The state] … is working full-time and uninterrupted to get the case trial ready,” said Botha during the court appearance of Ngombane’s wife, Nokwanda, and four other family members.
Nokwanda; her brother and sister, Bongani and Thanthiswa; and two cousins, Vuyokasi Mlambo and Sephumle Booi, face charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice in connection with Noby’s murder.
However, no formal charges have been laid.
The court was hearing argument for a further postponement in the matter after the state was earlier criticised by the defence for continuously delaying the matter ”without giving proper reasons”.
Earlier this month, magistrate LP Moeng turned down an application for further postponement and gave the state until Monday ”to bring a proper application”.
On Monday, Botha said the state has an obligation to investigate any crime thoroughly, which in some instances takes time.
”[The court] … has the department of public prosecution and the head of detective services’ assurance that the matter is handled in good time,” he said.
Nokwanda’s lawyer Willem Edeling again opposed a further postponement.
Responding to the state’s argument, he said if small technicalities are still to be investigated, there is no reason why a trial date cannot be set.
Moeng postponed the matter to December 15 on the grounds that contrarily to the impression the court has been given, much investigation has been done in the matter.
The suspects are out on conditional bail.
Ngombane, a senior official in Free State Premier Beatrice Marshoff’s office, was murdered at his Hillsboro home on March 22.
At his funeral, Nokwanda said the motive for the murder was political. — Sapa