Accused in six different cases
Charne Brown in two courts on four charges
SHE is accused of six different crimes with charges including murder, fraud, possession of stolen property and housebreaking against her – and yesterday a foul-tempered Charne Brown appeared in two different courts for four of those cases.
Brown, 37, and three men were arrested on Saturday for the possession of a stolen vehicle after they allegedly tried to break in to a North End business premises.
She and her co-accused, Calvin Prince, 33, Gordon Jordaan, 36, and Ashwell Scheuble, 31, were arrested in Harrower Road after a witness to the attempted break-in contacted the police and gave them a description of the Hyundai bakkie they were driving.
According to police, they had implements often used during break-ins and could not account for where the bakkie came from.
This case appeared before magistrate Innes du Preez, and was postponed until May 20 for further investigation.
No bail application has been made and Brown is expected to be held at the Kirkwood Prison, with facilities for women, until her next appearance.
Before the magistrate entered the courtroom, a scowling Brown was either lying on a desk with her arms folded under her head or demanding to speak to her co-accused. “I do not understand why we are wasting our time. We will never get bail in this court. This is such a waste of time,” she said in an angry tone of voice, while waiting for the magistrate.
Standing in the dock before Du Preez, she constantly spoke to her co-accused and tried to speak to people in the gallery.
Earlier, she appeared in another courtroom for three other cases in which Prince and Jordaan were also allegedly involved.
Brown, Prince and Jordaan, along with Ruaan Deyzel, 21, appeared together after being arrested in January for a string of housebreakings. They were out on bail for this case. Brown then appeared with Prince on a charge of housebreaking with intent to steal. They were out on bail in that case as well.
Brown then appeared again, this time with Jordaan on charges of possession of stolen property. Again they were out on bail.
Besides these four cases, Brown is also out on bail for a fraud case currently being investigated against her alone.
She is due back in the Port Elizabeth High Court on November 2 for her alleged role in the botched robbery turned murder of Walmer Country Club manager Gerrie Hoekstra in November 2010.