Briton appears for Cape fire
2006-08-18 12:05
Cape Town - Anthony Cooper, the Briton who allegedly started a fire on Table Mountain that claimed the life of an elderly woman, appeared briefly in the Cape Town regional court on Friday.
Magistrate Arnold Laubscher postponed the matter to August 25 for a trial date to be fixed.
Cooper faces a charge of culpable homicide and of contravention of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act, said prosecutor Nation Loliwe.
Loliwe said the Directorate of Public Prosecutions had decided to proceed with the matter after it was referred to them for a possible withdrawal of charges.
He told the court the State would apply for Cooper's bail to be withdrawn at a later court appearance.
Cooper's attorney Reaz Khan told the court the defence still had no charge sheet.
He requested a postponement to obtain clarity on financial instructions for the trial.
"I will be in a position to proceed once they decide to bring said application," Khan said of the bail cancellation request.
Cooper had two other unrelated charges he faces related to a drunken driving case and a possession of drugs case.
- SAPA