Els to ask for acquittal
2009-11-19 22:03
Pretoria - Singer Jurie Els will on Monday apply for his discharge on three charges of molestation.
When the State closed its case on Thursday, defence advocate Danie Dorfling told the High Court in Pretoria he would bring an application to have Els acquitted.
Dorfling asked for the matter to stand down until Monday for him to prepare the application.
Els has pleaded not guilty to the three sex-related charges.
Els, who now lives in New Zealand, is accused of molesting singer Robbie Klay between the ages of 11 and 16, when he was a child star.
Els's former sound engineer Frederik Greyling was the last State witness called to the stand on Thursday.
In his evidence, which was concluded within a few minutes, he told the court how he went on tour with Els and Klay when the latter was still a teen star.
Shared room
Greyling said they stayed in guest houses across the country. Klay and Els had usually shared a room, while he had his own room.
"I believed Jurie wanted to be a father to Robbie... I never suspected anything... My impression was that they had a father-and-son relationship."
Dorfling earlier told Klay that Els, if he took the stand, would deny the allegations and would testify that Klay was lying to the court.
Dorfling said Els had only ever wanted to be a father to Klay and to help him in his singing career.
Acting Judge Chris Eksteen postponed the trial to Monday.
- SAPA