Fidentia boss claims assault
2008-05-13 13:01
Cape Town - The Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Tuesday remanded in custody Fidentia boss J Arthur Brown for a week, following his arrest last Friday on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering relating to the company Antheru.
The charges involve about R800 000.
His arrest has become controversial with defence attorney William Booth alleging it was carried out on the strength of a warrant of arrest that was issued irregularly.
The drama surrounding Brown's arrest took an unexpected turn in court on Tuesday when Brown alleged he had been assaulted on the way to Pollsmoor Prison on Monday afternoon in the prison vehicle.
At Tuesday's proceedings Booth said he wished to face Brown in the witness stand as his testimony about the circumstances of the case would have an impact on the decision made by the court whether to grant the seven day remand requested by Scorpions prosecutor Ruth Morrison.
Magistrate Vusi Mhlanga was to have given judgement in the application on Tuesday morning.
The magistrate said the intended testimony would merely prolong the proceedings and that there were other channels open to Brown to contest the validity of his arrest.
Mhlanga said it was in the interest of justice to allow the seven-day remand to enable the Scorpions to gather information needed to oppose Brown's intended bail application.
Brown was remanded to May 19.
No date has yet been set for the bail application.
- SAPA