Najwa 'will be gone'

2007-11-13 14:50

Cape Town - Police investigating officer Captain Joe Dryden on Tuesday warned the Wynberg regional court in Cape Town that Najwa Petersen, accused of the murder of her famous husband Taliep "will be gone if she is released on bail".

He was questioned at length by Petersen's Senior Counsel Herbert Raubenheimer, who wanted Dryden to concede that Petersen had an "arguable case" to present to the court when she went on trial.

Petersen's "arguable case" is that she was asleep with her young daughter in a closed bedroom when her husband was shot dead in the lounge of their home.

Raubenheimer said Petersen had an "exceptional illness", a reference to her mental illness.

He put it to Dryden that her illness justified her release on bail, but he said he was unable to respond to the statement.

Asked if he agreed that someone with her illness needed 24-hour care by qualified and trained people, he again replied: "I cannot comment".

Dryden was asked if he had recently been booked off for stress. He said he had not.

Raubenheimer recalled to him a recent incident in a court room, during an adjournment, when Dryden had ordered people leaning against a wooden rail behind the dock to "stand up properly".

Dryden replied: "It happens each time there is an adjournment. People in the public gallery come forward to the dock where Petersen is seated to hug her, preventing her from being taken down the steps to the holding cells.

"I was not trying to be funny, but I just wanted the people to stand back to enable Petersen to go down the steps."

After hours of cross examination, Dryden told the court he stood by his earlier assertion that the State had a strong case against Petersen.

Raubenheimer responded: "All I'm asking is are you willing to concede that the case Petersen is to present at her trial is reasonably arguable?"

Dryden answered: "It is possible."

The case continues.

- SAPA