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Mathe's dad 'smuggled muti'
25/05/2007 20:37 - (SA)
Pretoria - The father of notorious prisoner Annanias Mathe appeared in Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Friday for allegedly trying to smuggle in an item to his son.
Zaphanias Mathe's case was postponed to Monday to allow for further investigations.
He is charged with contravening the correctional services act which prohibits the smuggling of illegal substances into lawful facilities.
On Wednesday, the old man was visiting his son at the Pretoria C-Max prison, when scanners picked up that he was trying to smuggle a substance hidden inside a loaf of bread.
During questioning, Mathe told police that the substance, which he called muti, was given to him by a man from Alexandra township and that he was to give it to his son.
Defence attorney Liz de Oliveira-Serrao, who is also lawyer for Mathe's son, said Mathe would show from whom and where he got the alleged muti.
Zaphanias, who bears a striking resemblance to his son, wore a dirty blue jacket and brown pants.
He told Magistrate Peet van Vuuren, through a Portuguese interpreter, that he was very cold at Pretoria Central Prison where he was being held.
Oliveira-Serrao added that police refused to allow blankets to be given to the old man on Thursday.
Van Vuuren, who was at first confused as to who the accused was, asked: "Is this the father of Houdini?".
After the stifling of laughers from people in the court room, the magistrate said the old man could be moved to Newlock Prison and be given blankets to keep him warm.
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