ratha-motkgoatleng

An application for the judge presiding over the Jeppestown trial to recuse himself was dismissed at the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday. Judge Ratha Motkgoatleng said the application had no legal basis to suggest he would be biased when he had to decide on the merits of the case.

The ”Jeppestown massacre” trial was on Thursday postponed at the Johannesburg High Court because some of the accused intended applying for the recusal of the judge. Eleven of the 13 accused indicated that they intended lodging a formal application for the recusal of Judge Ratha Motkgoatleng on the basis of reasonable apprehension of bias.