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Road rage case hits speed bump
24/01/2006 22:27 - (SA)
Cape Town - A motor scooter rider who allegedly pushed a motorist against a car and then to the ground in a road rage incident believes there has been corruption in his case, the Cape Town magistrate's court heard on Tuesday.
Shafique Shah, 36, of Gillwood Court, Gilmore Hill Road, Tamboerskloof, informed magistrate Mary-Anne Atteridge that he "has a thing going" with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) about the corruption.
He is alleged to have severely assaulted motorist Patrick Vermeer in Bree Street in the Cape Town CBD in August 2004.
The alleged incident happened when, travelling in opposite directions in the same road - Shah on a motor scooter - they both turned into Bree Street.
Due to heavy traffic, Vermeer failed to notice Shah, and almost collided with the scooter.
The near-collision gave Shah a fright, and in anger he allegedly drew alongside Vermeer's car and with his left foot kicked the side of Vermeer's car.
Vermeer told the court he pulled off the road to approach Shah about his behaviour, and in the confrontation Shah pushed him against a car and then to the ground.
At Tuesday's proceedings, Shah was to have presented his version of the incident to the court but his lawyer, Faghmie Rajap, was absent, as was the magistrate involved in the case, Hennie le Roux.
Rajap told a previous hearing he was leaving the employ of the Legal Aid Board to start his own practice but would nevertheless finalise the matter.
Atteridge provisionally postponed the case to January 31 for Shah to secure Rajap's presence in court or to approach the legal aid authorities for a new lawyer.
- SAPA
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