A man who was recently released on bail, charged with allowing dog fights at his home, on Monday almost landed back in Pollsmoor Prison for arriving late at court.
When Cape Town prosecutor Miriam Motsoahae called Wayne Browers’ name, he did not respond.
When Motsoahae called the case a second time, about two hours later, Browers, unaware that there was already a warrant out for his arrest, stepped into the dock.
Asked why he was late, he said his father had suffered a migraine attack in the morning.
Asked if he had telephoned a court officials to explain his predicament, he said he had not.
Magistrate Alta le Roux told him it was not a question of how good his excuse was, but what steps he had taken to notify the court that he would be late.
She added: ”Imagine if I had to wait for everyone who had to appear in this court, I would never complete my roll. I will keep you in custody if you are late again. You can ask the court personnel — I do keep people in custody if they are late for proceedings.”
Noting that the charge was cruelty to animals, she asked if he still wished to conduct his own defence.
Browers then conferred with an elderly man seated behind him.
Le Roux responded: ”You must decide, not that man behind you.”
Browers, prompted by the elderly man, replied: ”I have a lawyer”.
Asked who the lawyer was, the elderly man replied for Browers: ”His father will bring the lawyer the next time.”
Le Roux asked Browers if he planned to plead guilty or not guilty, and again Browers looked to the elderly man for assistance.
The magistrate responded: ”You must plead, not him. It’s very easy — you either did it or you did not.”
Browers mumbled not guilty, but so softly that Le Roux mistakenly entered his plea as guilty, and an interpreter corrected her error.
Le Roux told Browers: ”You must speak up.”
She postponed the case to October 13, cancelled the warrant for his arrest and extended his R1 000 bail. ‒ Sapa