Bodybuilder's trial postponed
2000-12-18 19:05
Johannesburg - The trial of convicted kidnapper and bodybuilder Gary Beuthin was postponed to next year on Monday in the Johannesburg Regional Court after his defence raised two queries.
Defence attorney Mike Werner told Magistrate Lucas van der Schyff that he had tried in vain for three years to secure the original recording of Beuthin's testimony at the start of the trial.
The prosecutor said the court's tape operator had been killed in a bus accident earlier in the year and the recordings, which had not been transcribed, had since disappeared.
Beuthin, who appeared in court on Monday, is facing a charge of attempted murder, assault, two charges of aggravated assault and escaping from custody relating to incidents in December 1990 and February 1991.
Werner told the court that the defence required the transcripts to afford it the opportunity to review Beuthin's testimony.
Thereafter they would be in a position to decide if further cross-examination was necessary.
The second issue raised concerned Beuthin's access to his written notes pertaining to the trial.
Werner told the court that since the bodybuilder had been sentenced to 25 years in prison during his 1993 trial, he had been transferred from a single cell to a communal cell.
Prison authorities had confiscated his notes and had also refused him access to them.
The magistrate told the defence team on Monday that he was unable to order prison officials to hand over the notes and Beuthin should apply to the High Court.
They precede the case for which the bodybuilder was sentenced on 31 August 1993, to 25 years' imprisonment.
Monday's events were the latest in the lengthy saga. Proceedings against Beuthin were first instituted 10 years ago.
Last Thursday, when the trial was to have continued, Beuthin phoned his attorney from prison to say that his transfer warrant had not been signed.
Beuthin's trial is expected to recommence on 17, 19 and 20 April next year. - Sapa
- SAPA