The trial of Annanias Mathe — the Mozambican national who escaped from Pretoria’s high-security C-Max prison — will resume in the Johannesburg High Court next July.
Mathe, who faces 77 charges, appeared briefly before Judge Busi Mbha on Monday and his case was postponed to July 28 for plea and trial.
State prosecutor advocate David Mothibe told the court that all charges against Mathe have been centralised and will be heard at the Johannesburg High Court.
The cases against him were reported in Rustenburg and Lichtenburg in North West, Thabazimbi in Limpopo, and several other locations in Gauteng.
They include housebreaking, robbery, attempted murder, rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, cruelty to animals, escape from lawful custody and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
Shackled and under a heavy police guard, Mathe (31) looked healthier than on previous occasions and appeared relaxed in the dock. He wore a white shirt and blue jeans.
He will be detained at C-Max prison again.
The trial is expected to last five months, with more than 100 witnesses expected to testify against him.
Mathe made headlines when he broke out of Pretoria’s C-Max prison, regarded as the most secure in the country, last November. He was rearrested several days later. — Sapa