DPP�s no show irks Magistrate
Mpho Mokwape | Monday July 28, 2014 18:18
Mafoki said the DPP had a habit of wasting the court’s time by not appearing in court on the set dates, subsequently forcing matters to be adjourned frequently.
He said often cases drag for years due to the DPP’s incompetence and ‘no show’ in court.
“If I set a date for a trial and you do not appear, I will have no choice but to throw the case out,” Mafoki said.
Madume Kgosietsile from the DPP had earlier indicated to the court that she was not going to be available for a matter that was scheduled for August 8.
She said on the day, she will be in Mochudi attending to another matter, adding that the case was delayed simply due to the fact that the previous prosecutor left the DPP. She asked the court to consider the date and also allow her to access the case file.
The magistrate did not take kindly to the request saying that it was not the court’s fault that the prosecutor left hence he was not going to move the matter as the accused has been waiting for long to be tried. To solve the problem of conflicting dates, the magistrate requested that all prosecutors submit their diaries to the court clerks to counter-check their assignments.
“This case will on the 8th and its up to the DPP to manage the time so that you be available in court and failure to do so I will dismiss it,” he added.