Ex-cop accused of delay tactics

2008-09-16 20:07

Johannesburg - Former Goodwood police station commander Siphiwo Hewana has changed his lawyers, prompting a delay in his trial to answer charges of interfering in the drunk driving case against former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni.

Hewana faces criminal charges for attempting to defeat the ends of justice, incitement to commit perjury and interfering with the Yengeni investigation.

Hewana appeared in the Parow Regional Court on Tuesday before magistrate Helma Smit.

Prosecutor Barry van der Berg accused Hewana of "playing delay tactics".

Van der Berg said Hewana was out on warning, but if he continued with delaying tactics the State would request that he be taken back into custody.

Van der Berg asked the magistrate to warn Hewana accordingly, in terms of the Criminal Procedures Act.

Attorney Enslin Meyer, who had represented Hewana at his two previous preliminary hearings, told the court he had only been informed on Tuesday that his mandate was terminated, and that attorney Greg Duncan was to take over the case.

He said Hewana had initially been suspended without pay because of the charges he faced. Hewana had since been dismissed from his post, and his dismissal was currently the subject of a Labour Court dispute.

He said Hewana had been unable to instruct him in full, and he (Duncan) had not been aware until Tuesday's proceedings that the trial was to have commenced.

He added: "I was surprised to hear that the trial was to have started."

Duncan said he needed until October 13 to confirm his instructions to take over the case.

The magistrate warned Hewana that if he continued with his tactics of trying to delay the start of his trial, she would order the case to proceed with or without legal representation.

She said she could also make Hewana liable for any wasted costs.

It is alleged that Hewana, as police commander, intercepted Yengeni's blood sample before it was sent for forensic analysis, and placed it unlocked in a drawer in his office, instead of locking it in a safe.

The case was postponed to October 13.

- SAPA