Sentencing delayed again

Sentencing proceedings in the trial of convicted Kempton Park model agency boss Dawie de Villiers were again postponed in the High Court in Johannesburg yesterday.

De Villiers was convicted on a range of charges in February 2017, including rape, sexual assault, fraud, exposing children to pornography, and accessing child pornography.

The case could not proceed as De Villiers had taken issue with arguments submitted by his defence advocate Marius van Wyngaardt. The defence and state prosecutor Arveena Persard have both submitted arguments.

Van Wyngaardt told Judge Cassim Moosa that there were issues between De Villiers and the instructing attorney that might have an influence on proceedings and possibly lead to De Villiers appointing a new attorney.

Persard said that De Villiers needed to be made aware that the matter needed to be finalised as soon as possible and whatever issues there were should be resolved as a matter of urgency.

De Villiers, the founder of Modelling SA (PTY), is still out on bail.

Judge Moosa said this was the last postponement he would allow as two years had lapsed since De Villiers was convicted. He added that the witnesses in the matter needed closure.

“After today [yesterday], the matter will proceed with or without legal representatives.”

The matter was postponed to March 13 for sentencing arguments in the High Court in Pretoria. Judgment will be delivered on March 28. – ANA