Jeppestown case adjourned

2008-01-29 12:04

Johannesburg - The "Jeppestown massacre" trial was adjourned till noon in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday to allow the lawyers to prepare final submissions.

With some in leg chains and wrist cuffs, 12 men and one woman are implicated in the murder of four policemen in a shootout that also led to the death of at least eight alleged robbers on June 25 2006.

The adjournment will allow their lawyers to liase with the State on their position on the 23 charges that most of them face.

Prosecutor Joanie Spies rejected a suggestion discussed earlier by the defence that they make a collective submission.

"Because there might be difficulties in the trial," she said.

She later added: "It's very difficult for a representative to speak on behalf of others, because they don't know how they are thinking."

For the adjournment the group were led down to their cells, watched closely by several heavily armed policemen in bullet proof vests.

The 13 are accused of being part of a robbery in Honeydew, west of Johannesburg, which ended in a massive shootout with police in a house in Jeppestown.

- SAPA