/ 7 December 2006

Bogus attorney in court again

A candidate attorney, who allegedly illegally represented clients in the regional court, made his third appearance in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on three charges of fraud.

Archelvin Khanyisa Xolisa Lingani appeared before magistrate Helen Alman, who extended his R5 000 bail and postponed the case to January 25.

At his next court appearance, Lingani will be informed of the date on which he is to go on trial in the regional court.

Candidate attorneys, previously known as articled clerks, may not represent clients in the regional court without authority from the Law Society.

At the time of his arrest in September, Lingani had the right of appearance in the lower district court, but not in the upper regional court.

At his bail hearing, before magistrate Anika Pretorius, evidence was led of his previous clashes with the law, which included a arrests for fraud and drunken driving, and a six-year jail sentence for armed robbery.

At his bail hearing, Lingani told the court he served the jail sentence at the Brandvlei prison in Worcester, during which he enrolled as an LLB student with Unisa, to graduate in April last year.

In terms of his bail conditions, Lingani may not represent any clients in court, or leave the Western Cape.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, prosecutor Nina Meyer told the court the investigation had been finalised, and that she would hand a copy of the charge sheet to Lingani’s lawyer, Joe Weeber, at the next appearance. – Sapa