A man accused of raping three elderly women was expected to plead guilty in the Grahamstown High Court on Friday, but changed his mind at the last minute.
This prompted his lawyer to withdraw, and the trial was postponed to January 29 2008.
Mcebisi Noji, of Nkululeko, Barkly East, is on trial for the rapes and attempted rapes the state alleges occurred on June 3, and 17, and October 7 2006. The women’s ages ranged from 54 to 65.
At the start of the trial on Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty before Judge Elna Revelas.
On Thursday, after three of the complainants who were allegedly raped or sexually assaulted on October 7 testified, Noji indicated to his Legal Aid Board-appointed advocate Nomothetho Ngcingca, that he wanted to change his plea to guilty.
Ngcingca spent Thursday afternoon drafting the guilty plea and plea explanation, only to have her client change his mind overnight, when he appeared briefly in court on Friday.
She has been obliged to withdraw as his lawyer as a result of conflicting instructions.
Medical evidence led on Thursday from Barkly East doctor, Johan Olivier, who performed medico-legal examinations on four of the five women, confirmed that they had been raped, or physically and sexually assaulted.
The state’s indictment indicates that Noji had been arrested for the alleged rapes on June 3 and 17, respectively, and was twice released on bail. He was on bail when the other three rapes were allegedly committed.
Judge Revelas ordered the postponement to give Noji adequate time to obtain the services of another lawyer from the Legal Aid Board. She ordered that he remain in custody at Grahamstown’s Waainek medium security prison.
Senior advocate Nickie Turner appeared for the state. – Sapa