/ 25 August 2008

Pretoria court postpones ‘Barbie’ trial

The trial of Cezanne Visser, also known as ”Advocate Barbie”, was postponed on Monday because her lawyer, Johann Engelbrecht, was in hospital.

Prosecutor Andre Fourie said Engelbrecht apparently suffered from blood-supply problems for which he needed an operation.

Acting Judge Izak Luther provisionally postponed the trial to October 7.

He told Visser he was sorry to hear about her advocate’s health problems, adding: ”We are all people and that’s what happens to people”.

The trial was previously delayed for over a year, first because a trial judge was not available, then because of Engelbrecht’s involvement with the Taliep Petersen murder trial.

Engelbrecht represents Petersen’s wife, Najwa, who is on trial in the Cape High Court for murder with three co-accused. That trial is due to resume on October 20.

Visser’s trial would start anew after the previous trial judge, Judge Essop Patel, died in April last year.

This meant several witnesses, including minors, would have to take the stand again, even if only to confirm their previous evidence.

Visser and her former lover, Dirk Prinsloo, had pleaded not guilty to a range of charges, including indecent assault, rape and manufacturing child pornography, several years ago.

She did not contest most of the evidence led during her trial, and closed her case a year ago without leading evidence.

After Prinsloo disappeared in May 2006, Visser appointed top criminal defence advocate Johan Engelbrecht to defend her.

Prinsloo was still on the run and presently on Interpol’s most wanted list after failing to return from a trip to Russia.

Patel at the time granted Visser leave to re-open her case to lead new evidence. – Sapa