Conspiracy: Suspect suffers stroke
2003-03-17 21:57
Cape Town - One of the seven suspects in the alleged conspiracy to assassinate regional court magistrate Wilma van der Merwe has suffered a stroke.
The Cape High Court was informed of this on Monday, after the court had waited almost three hours for the arrival of Roy Vlotman, who is on R5 000 bail.
Monday's delay was the second in connection with Vlotman. Last week transport problems caused his late arrival, and Judge Hennie Erasmus warned he would be taken back into custody if he again delayed the hearing.
On Monday, Vlotman's counsel, Graig Phillander said he had received word that Vlotman was in hospital with a stroke.
Prosecutor Chris Cilliers said the court was obliged to authorise a warrant for Vlotman's arrest, but could stay execution of it until Tuesday.
If on Tuesday a medical certificate is produced to the court as proof that Vlotman had in fact suffered a stroke, the arrest warrant could be cancelled and the proceedings could continue without Vlotman, Cilliers said.
Monday's proceedings were about to resume when Sonja Lotter, counsel for main accused, dentist Shaheem Ismail, announced that he too was ill and asked for the case to be postponed to Tuesday.
With Ismail and Vlotman in the dock are Faried Davids, his wife Alivia, Ikram Norton, Ashraf Lee and Abdullah Brenner.
They have all pleaded not guilty to a main count of conspiracy to murder, as well as two alternative charges.
These relate to an incident at the magistrate's home in August 2000, when two men arrived at her home to execute the assassination plan - only to be arrested by a team of policemen who had been tipped off and were waiting on the premises for their arrival.
The main charge has two alternatives: attempted murder as the first; and encitement to commit murder or the procurement of persons to commit murder as the second alternative.
The accused have also pleaded not guilty to two counts relating to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
- SAPA