The drunken-driving case against Pretoria High Court Judge Nkola Motata was set down for trial in July by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Magistrate Desmond Nair postponed the matter for trial starting July 19. The matter was set down for two days, July 19 and 20, he said. Motata’s bail was extended to the court date.
The grey-haired judge was dressed in a dark suit with light stripes for his brief appearance.
Journalists and camera crews waited for his exit from the court building, prompting a curious passer-by to enquire: ”Who’s that, is it [Glenn] Agliotti?”
The judge got into the back of a 4×4 type vehicle and was driven off.
Earlier outside the courtroom, prosecutor Zaais van Zyl, SC, said he will appear for the state at the trial. Van Zyl — prosecutor in the 2005 Leigh Matthews murder case — did not act for the state on Friday.
The charge against Motata is drunken driving, or alternatively reckless or negligent driving. The judge also faces a second count of defeating the ends of justice, Van Zyl said.
Motata was arrested on January 5 after crashing his car into a wall in Hurlingham, Johannesburg. He allegedly resisted arrest and was put in a police car at the scene by five metro police officers.
Motata was arrested and released on bail of R1 000 from the Parkview police station. — Sapa