Advocate’s wife among accused
THE estranged wife of one of the country's top senior counsels advocate William Mokhari appeared briefly in court this week alongside two coaccused following charges that she has allegedly conspired to murder her husband.
Boitumelo Joyce Mokhari appeared with Shadrack Malipane and Jacob Malope for a formal bail hearing at the Alexandra Magistrates' Court.
Phindi Mjonondwane, Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, said the trio was released on R3000 bail each without any conditions attached.
The men were arrested on April 14 after the police received a tip-off and allegedly foiled the murder attempt.
Mokhari meanwhile handed herself over to the Sandton Police Station on April 20 with the assistance of her legal representative.
According to Mjonondwane, the three are facing a charge of conspiracy to murder advocate Mokhari.
The police acted on a tip-off about the plot from information given to them, including allegations that the firearm that was to be used for committing the alleged murder was delivered to a so-called prophet by the name of Malipane.
Mjonondwane said on arrival at the premises of the prophet, police conducted a search of the premises where the firearm and ammunition were seized from the boot of Malipane's vehicle.
Prosecutor Lufuno Godfrey Maphiri, during the bail application this week, argued that the safety of the complainant, advocate Mokhari, would be compromised if the accused were released on bail.
He briefly presented the State's allegations against the three accused to the court in his bid to oppose bail.
He told the court that at the centre of the plot was the divorce proceedings instituted by advocate Mokhari against his estranged wife.
The case was meanwhile postponed to June 14 for further investigations, and the trio is expected to only plead at a later stage as the case will probably be referred to the high court for trial.
Advocate Mokhari is a well known face in the courts across the country, where he often appears in cases on behalf of government entities.
He especially made headlines in 2013 when he took high court Judge John Murphy on during a case involving Richard Mdluli. Mukhari, who represented the police in that matter, ended up lodging a professional misconduct complaint against Judge Murphy after the two of them clashed in court.
Mukhari was at the time the chairman of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates.
Sparks flew when Judge Murphy asked advocate Mokhari “Does the commissioner want General Mdluli to return to work?”
Mokhari then said “This is presumptuous and I will not respond to the question”, to which the judge: “How dare you say this to me. Does the commissioner intend to reinstate General Mdluli?”
Mokhari once again said it was presumptuous, since it puts the “cart before the horse”, and it would be improper for him to answer the question.
“I am not going to answer that,” the advocate said.
Judge Murphy ordered the advocate to sit down. “You are finished with your submissions,” the judge said. Mokhari, however, responded that he would not sit down, because he had another submission to make, which he was entitled to do.
But the judge repeatedly told him to “take a seat”, as he did not wish to hear him anymore.
Mokhari still refused to sit down, at which point the judge - evidently hot under the collar - adjourned the court and stormed out.
Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba eventually had to step in and met the two in his chambers later to address the issue.