Lamoer’s case delayed by questions over state-funding for legal aid

SUSPENDED provincial police commissioner Arno Lamoer is ready to go on trial for alleged corruption, but outstanding documents and attempts by three of his co-accused to get State-funded legal representation are stalling the matter.

“The police’s refusal to provide legal funding will be taken on review. It means we can’t set a trial date yet,” State prosecutor Billy Downer said during yesterday’s proceedings.

Lamoer faces corruption charges along with Stellenbosch police cluster commander Brigadier Darius van der Ross, a provincial head of inspectorate Brigadier Kolindren Govender, and his wife, Bellville station commander Brigadier Sharon Govender.

Plattekloof businessman Mohamed Saleem Dawjee and his son Mohamed Zameer are also accused in the case.

The police officers are accused of accepting bribes from Dawjee.

Yesterday Downer said Lamoer was ready to go on trial but first wanted to get hold of transcripts of intercepted phone conversations which the State was preparing for him. “It will be finalised relatively soon,” Downer said.

Van der Ross and the Govenders were also still trying to get State-funded legal representation, and this needed to be finalised.

At a previous hearing, defence advocate Johann Nortje said the trio had applied for funding, but suspended national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega had turned them down without consulting the state attorney, as she should have.

Yesterday Nortje said that a letter forwarded this month from the state attorney said while the alleged crimes the officers were suspected of committing had been carried out while they were on duty, it did not relate to the execution of their duties as police officers.

If this were the case, the allegations of corrupt relationships would not be part of the case. He planned to apply to have the decision not to provide state- funded representation reviewed.

After the court proceedings yesterday Lamoer and Dawjee seemed relaxed, as they joked and happily greeted reporters.

Lamoer, whose job contract with the police expires in about a month, and which will not be renewed, said he was doing well.

Another pre-trial is set for February 5 next year.