Sentencing
begins of convicted killer - 1 August
Sentencing of convicted killer Marius van der Westhuizen begins on
Monday in the Cape High Court.
In May, the former policeman officer was found guilty of murdering
his three children three years ago. Judge Willem Louw found van
der Westhuizen was motivated by rage and a desire to punish his
wife when he killed his children. He also ruled the former police
officer had insight into his actions and its consequences. Despite
this, Louw found van der Westhuizen’s ability to control himself
was limited due to several stress factors. - Eye
Witness News website
See
also :
Police
let ex-colleague down, says lawyer - 14 November 2008
Marius van der Westhuizen, a former police officer from
Brackenfell, Cape Town, who shot his three children, was a good
person who was failed by the police system, because he did not
get psychological care for post-traumatic stress, his lawyer
Milton de la Harpe told the Cape High Court. - IOL
website
[InfoUpdate
32 of 2008]
Embattled
millionaire hits hard times? - 3 August
Cape Town multi-millionaire Gary van der Merwe is applying for
Legal Aid, a service reserved for indigent people. The owner of
the Huey helicopter operation in Cape Town and director in a
number of companies said he could no longer pay his legal team,
including a senior counsel, in his fraud case and ended its
mandate. - IOL website
See
also :
Court
grounds helicopter sale - 29 April 2009
The High Court has stopped controversial city businessman Gary
van der Merwe from selling helicopters and helicopter parts,
worth an estimated R50-million, to the highest bidder at public
auction. The order was granted by the Western Cape High Court to
halt the auction on Tuesday morning after lawyers for Swiss
businessman Arnoldo Lascala filed an urgent application last
week when their client became aware the items at auction had not
yet been paid for. - IOL
website
[InfoUpdate
10 of 2009]
Another
blow for Glenister - 4 August
In a further legal blow to his championing of the Scorpions Hugh
Glenister has been denied leave to appeal against the dismissal
of his application last year to interdict and restrain MPs from
voting on legislation to disband the now disbanded elite crime
fighting unit. He has, however, been granted leave to appeal
against a costs order made against him. - IOL
website
Celebrity
chef declared bankrupt in South Africa - 7 August
Controversial celebrity chef Conrad Gallagher, who has been back
in Dublin for the past month, has been declared bankrupt by the
Western Cape High Court in South Africa, following an application
by two companies seeking payment of debts. Mr Gallagher owes
almost €200 000 to two main creditors, the Absa bank and Mac
Brothers Catering Equipment. Debts relate to the sale and delivery
of equipment to his Cape Town restaurant, the Geisha Wok and
Noodle Bar and four cafes. The 38-year-old chef from Letterkenny,
Co Donegal, is also being investigated by the South African
department of labour for allegedly failing to register his
employees with a mandatory unemployment insurance fund. - Irish
Times website
I'll
be back, says celeb chef - 14 August
Debt-laden Michelin-starred celebrity chef Conrad Gallagher
insists he will return to South Africa to face the music.
The Irish TV chef, who has been living in South Africa for the
past six years, was sequestrated by the Western Cape High Court
last week.
The Times reported that Gallagher, 38, was job hunting in Ireland's
capital, Dublin, where he has been staying for the past two months
with his wife, former Port Elizabeth model Candice Coetzee, and
their two children.
He owes about R1.8-million to Absa Bank and about R300 000 to a
Cape Town catering equipment company - among other debts. - The
Times website
It's
a conspiracy, says sex-accused Lifman - 9 August
Wealthy Cape Town businessman Mark Lifman not only denies having
sexual relations with boys under the age of 16, but is also
alleging he is the victim of a campaign by the Scorpions to
prosecute him. Lifman's attorney William Booth last week called
two witnesses in his client's defence on sexual offences charges,
who told the court they had been threatened or influenced by the
Scorpions investigator on the case to testify against Lifman. - IOL
website
Pupil
sues after skull fractured - 13 August
Three years ago Donovan Dolf, then 12, sustained severe head
injuries when a fellow pupil allegedly assaulted him with a
cricket stump in the playground of Winsley Primary School in
Bellville. Now his father, Ernest Conning, is suing the Western
Cape Education MEC, the alleged attacker's father and Winsley
Primary School for R400 000 in damages. - IOL
website
MPs
hire new lawyers amid housing furore - 12 August
Two COPE parliamentarians who face eviction from a Cape Town
parliamentary village have rejected an offer to settle out of
court with Public Works and have got themselves new attorneys. - IOL
website
COPE
members awaiting judgement on eviction - 13 August
Two Congress of the People officials will learn next week if they
are to vacate their homes at a parliamentary village.
Dennis Bloem and Bishop Tolo appeared in the Western Cape High
Court on Wednesday where they are fighting their looming eviction.
The Public Works Ministry issued the two men with eviction notices
last month. It said COPE MPs were allocated other homes. - Eye
Witness News website
Judge's
death : unanswered questions remain - 13 August
Despite a post-mortem report having been completed, police have
requested further tests to pinpoint how Judge Patrick Maqubela
died. When Maqubela's body was found in his Bantry Bay residence
on June 7 police initially suspected he had died of a heart attack
but had then started investigating a murder. He was an acting
judge in the Western Cape High Court. - IOL
website