Photographs hold up Callie case

2008-11-20 14:08

Johannesburg - The culpable homicide case relating to a car crash in which Isidingo soap star Ashley Callie was killed, was postponed in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

Magistrate Fatima Khan postponed the case to January 14.

The postponement was granted in order for defence attorney Ronald Lotz to receive colour copies of the accident scene.

Lotz had previously received black and white copies, which inhibited experts' reconstruction of the accident scene.

Nico Pretorius, 21, faces culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving charges in connection with the crash.

He appeared in court dressed in a black and red suit, and was wearing black stud earrings. Lotz showed journalists copies of the photographs which he received which were dark and blurry.

"Look at these copies, expert(s) cannot use these, since the accident occurred at night, and it was photocopied," Lotz said.

He asked a senior prosecutor to give him better quality copies, but was told that nothing could be done, and he had to take up the matter in court.

The court heard that the State would have to pay an amount of R2 140 to Johannesburg metro police for five copies of the colour photographs.

"We were initially told to pay for the colour photographs, but refused, that is solely the responsibility of the State," Lotz said.

Prosecutor Gary Fanando said that the photographs would be available to Lotz by January next year.

Lotz said it was most likely that the case would be postponed yet again, since experts would need three to four months to reconstruct the accident scene.

"It will definitely be postponed come January 14," he said. Award-winning actress, Callie, who played Lee Haines in the soap sustained head injuries in the car crash on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Tana Road in Johannesburg on February 8.

She died in hospital as a result of her injuries on February 15.

- SAPA