The trial of eight people charged with the theft of copper with an estimated value of R3 million will resume in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court in August.
Durban – When the trial of eight people charged with the theft of copper from Telkom, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and Transnet resumes in August this year, evidence from a recent in-loco inspection will be entered into the record in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court.
The eight – Craig Chetty; Dinesh Harilall; Thembinkosi Mnyandu; Sibusiso Ngeneko; husband and wife, Amadu Juma and Liya Nyirongo; as well as Abdula Juma and his wife, Lesungu Mtola – appeared in court on Tuesday, where dates were set for the continuation of their trial.
According to the State, the evidence from the in loco inspection, which was agreed to by all parties, will be placed on record before the accused appear in court again on August 19.
An in loco inspection by a court involves an inspection by a judge or magistrate, accompanied by opposing parties and certain witnesses, to the scene or scenes where an alleged crime is said to have occurred.
The trial of the accused will continue on August 20 and 22, and dates were also set for September for further evidence to be heard.
On September 7, 2022, the eight were apprehended by combined authorities at a business area at 3am. Also found at the scene was copper with an estimated value of R3 million, as well as a granulator machine and other specific tools that could be used to steal copper.
Some of the accused are out on bail, while others remain in custody after bail was denied.
In their bid for bail, Chetty and Harilall claimed they had been on the property at the time to inspect a vehicle they had been asked to fix by the owner. They said they had been there two days earlier, inspecting the vehicle, and had found it needed spares.
They had returned after having found spares for the vehicle.
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