Ngombane probe: State blasted

2005-09-06 20:43

Bloemfontein - The Bloemfontein magistrate's court criticised the State's attitude and "casualness" on Tuesday in handling the murder investigation of former senior Free State official Noby Ngombane.

Ngombane's wife, Nokwanda, her brother and sister, Bongani and Thanthiswa, and two cousins Vuyokazi Mlambo and Sephumle Booi, faced charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice in connection with his murder.

However, no formal charges had yet been laid.

Magistrate L P Moeng turned down the State's application for a postponement to December 15. He instead postponed the matter to September 19 to give the State time "to bring a proper application".

Nokwanda's lawyer, Willem Edeling, opposed the postponement.

Accused 'entitled to speedy trial'

He said: "The prosecuting authority has so far not given any reasons for further investigation nor submitted reasons for wanting more time.

"We do not even know what the charges are."

Edeling said the accused were entitled to a speedy trial.

He said: "Since the day after the murder on March 22, the accused have been questioned, interrogated and investigated... months later, they were arrested and detained and, since then, there was no way forward."

In turning down the State's application, Moeng said he was disappointed in the way the prosecuting authority had handled the matter as well as "the casual approach taken" by the State.

Ngombane, a senior official in Premier Beatrice Marshoff's office, was murdered at his Hillsboro home on March 22.

At his funeral, Nokwanda said the motive for the murder was political.

- SAPA