Africa-Press – Lesotho. Documents that the prosecution was relying on to build a case against Qamo Matela, a Berea man who made headlines last year for allegedly battering his wife to death, have disappeared.
Justice Tšeliso Mokoko had to postpone the case to October 12 earlier today, with instructions to the crown to find the missing evidence before Thursday.
Matela is accused of strangling and hitting his wife ’Mahlompho Matela until she died. She sustained fatal injuries on the neck and other parts of the body.
At an emotional funeral in June last year, the Matela family told mourners that ’Mahlomho fell in a bath basin and sustained serious injuries but her maiden family insisted that she was battered by her husband.
The case was supposed to have started today.
High Court judge, Justice Mokoko, said he was unhappy that the evidence has disappeared.
“The court is unhappy about this behaviour but (for) the sake of justice to be served the case will only be postponed till Thursday the 15th September this year,” the judge said.
“I cannot under any circumstances postpone this matter to the 12th October. If on Thursday you are not ready to proceed with this matter, then do something about it,” he said.
Justice Mokoko said that the crown witness should be ready for no further postponements on Thursday.
The crown was asking for a postponement to October 12.
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