Butterfly wants charges dropped
Mpho Mokwape | Wednesday November 27, 2019 15:42
‘Butterfly’ as she is known in the spy circle appeared today before Regional Magistrate Masilo Mathaka for status hearing following her release from custody on Friday last week
Maswabi who is currently facing charges of financing terrorism, possession of unexplained property and false declaration of a passport says she cannot keep appearing in court for mention while the state takes its sweet time to investigate.
According to her attorney, Uyapo Ndadi the state was not fair to have dragged Maswabi to court without having investigated the matter first and came up with solid evidence for her to be tried.
“It is unacceptable that the state had to charge my client first then investigate later. We all know that once you are charged, in the public eye you are already guilty and that is an irreparable harm that cannot be erased easily,” he said.
Ndadi also questioned why his client was charged with financing terrorism when the person she is accused of transferring money to, being former spy chief Isaac Kgosi was not charged with the same matter.
He wants all the charges dropped against his client especially that the state had failed to dispute evidence they put before court on evidence fabrication and concealment.
“The state has no case at all, my client was granted bail on the basis of the state having failed to oppose the evidence at the High Court,” he said.
Earlier on state prosecutor, Priscilla Israel had requested court to give the state more time because investigations were ongoing.
“This is a cross border crime as we have indicated and we are still obtaining evidence especially in relation to bank statements from other countries. We have done all the legal process to obtain such hence more time is needed,” she said.
In the end the magistrate granted state time while he also allowed the defence to properly file its application for quashing of charges.
Meanwhile Maswabi who has is also accused of having the sum of U$D390m in her personal account and having offshore accounts with large sums of money will be back in court on February 7, 2020.