adminAlthough Advocate Lucas Nkomo for Charles Thomas and Paul Siwela had asked for a postponement of up to two months, Justice Ndou said this would not be necessary and said the trial should kick off during the week starting 19 March this year.
Justice Ndou sitting with Messrs Jongilizwe Sobantu and Phanuel Damba accepted that the trio is facing serious charges which carry the capital punishment and that there was need to prepare for the trial.
He, however, said asking for a two-month postponement was asking for too much given that Adv Sabelo Sibanda for John Gazi and the State were ready for trial.
A longer postponement, he said, would prejudice the State and Gazi adding that this could amount to delaying tactics.
Adv Nkomo, instructed by Mr Sindiso Shepherd Mazibisa, of Cheda and Partners and Mr Robert Ndlovu, of R Ndlovu and Company, had argued in the application that they needed more time to prepare for the trial.
It was their contention that it took the State nine months to prepare its case but that they now want to give the defence team less than a month to prepare.
They also noted that the State filed an amended charge on 3 February just a few days before the commencement of the trial and that they were yet to receive some of the witness statements and 13 items on the exhibits list.
The State, represented by Messrs Lovack Masuku and Samuel Pedzisai, both from the Attorney General’s Office, had opposed the application for postponement, saying they were ready to proceed with the trial.
Online Reporter
- Chronicle , SundayNews
- July 31, 2026
- 33 views
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