Lawyer appears in poaching case
2013-03-15 16:11
Cape Town - A lawyer and 29 others appeared in the
Western Cape High Court on Friday on charges relating to a perlemoen syndicate.
Anthony Broadway, dressed in a dark suit and tie, looked
uncomfortable as he sat in the dock with his casually dressed co-accused for a
pre-trial conference.
He had represented many of them in the case before his
arrest on Tuesday.
His legal representative Johnny Nortje told the court the
police searched Broadway's practice in Bellville and seized computers, files
containing privileged information relating to the case and other cases, and his
cellphone.
"In effect, your Lordship, his practice was closed
down," he told Judge Robert Henney.
Nortje said he planned to launch a review application by
next Friday to set aside the search warrant, on the basis of "ulterior
motives and malice, which forms the basis of the prosecution".
He said the search and seizure matter would, in all
likelihood, go to the Constitutional Court as he questioned a situation where
the State could access privileged information about the case in such a manner.
Nortje claimed the search warrant did not specify which
items would be seized, there was no affidavit in support of the arrest warrant
and he had not received a charge sheet.
Henney postponed the matter until 12 April to allow the
State and defence "to report on what is going to happen".
The group face 534 charges, including illegal possession
of perlemoen, racketeering and corruption.
Chinese national Ran Wei, who allegedly funded and ran
the syndicate, is still missing.
- SAPA
