Black jersey wrapped around his face‚ the man accused of trying to swindle convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius was slowly guided into the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Tshifhiwa Reuben Radzhadzi‚ 33‚ was nabbed by the Hawks on Friday for promising to make Pistorius’ case “disappear” for a quarter of a million rand‚ but his plan backfired when Pistorius alerted police.
It emerged in court that the accused called Pistorius at the beginning of last week‚ claiming to be a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) official working with Pistorius’ prosecutor‚ advocate Gerrie Nel.
A trap was immediately set for Radzhadzi and he was subsequently nabbed outside the high court in Pretoria after accepting R40 000 deposit.
According to the prosecution‚ Radzhadzi is facing possible charges of corruption and extortion.
State prosecutor Willem van Zyl said Radzhadzi “is not employed by the NPA; he is an opportunist who used Gerrie Nel’s name“.
He asked for the matter to be stood down until Thursday for further investigation‚ confirmation of Radzhadzi’s address and preparation of the charge sheet.
Van Zyl said the state also wanted to establish exactly who the accused was as he used a different name when he contacted Pistorius.
He said the issue of a bail application would not be discussed at this stage as the state was yet to establish if the accused had pending cases or previous convictions.
His address is also yet to be confirmed as it is only known that he is from Soshanguve‚ north of Pretoria.
Radzhadzi asked that he be provided with medication at the Kgosi Mampuru prison as he had kidney problems.
Pistorius‚ who is out on bail of R10 000‚ is due back in the Pretoria High Court next month for fresh sentencing proceedings after his culpable homicide conviction was overturned and replaced with one of murder by the Supreme Court of Appeal in December last year.
He lost his bid to fight that decision at the Constitutional Court when the court this month rejected his application for leave to appeal.
Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria home on February 14 2013. He said he thought there was an intruder in the house when he fired four shots through the closed door of the toilet cubicle while she was inside.
Pistorius was in prison for a year before being released on correctional supervision in October last year.
– Tiso Black Star Group Digital/The Times
Man accused of trying to swindle Oscar Pistorius "is an opportunist"
Tshifhiwa Reuben Radzhadzi‚ 33‚ was nabbed by the Hawks on Friday for promising to make Pistorius’ case “disappear” for a quarter of a million rand‚ but his plan backfired when Pistorius alerted police.
It emerged in court that the accused called Pistorius at the beginning of last week‚ claiming to be a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) official working with Pistorius’ prosecutor‚ advocate Gerrie Nel.
A trap was immediately set for Radzhadzi and he was subsequently nabbed outside the high court in Pretoria after accepting R40 000 deposit.
According to the prosecution‚ Radzhadzi is facing possible charges of corruption and extortion.
State prosecutor Willem van Zyl said Radzhadzi “is not employed by the NPA; he is an opportunist who used Gerrie Nel’s name“.
He asked for the matter to be stood down until Thursday for further investigation‚ confirmation of Radzhadzi’s address and preparation of the charge sheet.
Van Zyl said the state also wanted to establish exactly who the accused was as he used a different name when he contacted Pistorius.
He said the issue of a bail application would not be discussed at this stage as the state was yet to establish if the accused had pending cases or previous convictions.
His address is also yet to be confirmed as it is only known that he is from Soshanguve‚ north of Pretoria.
Radzhadzi asked that he be provided with medication at the Kgosi Mampuru prison as he had kidney problems.
Pistorius‚ who is out on bail of R10 000‚ is due back in the Pretoria High Court next month for fresh sentencing proceedings after his culpable homicide conviction was overturned and replaced with one of murder by the Supreme Court of Appeal in December last year.
He lost his bid to fight that decision at the Constitutional Court when the court this month rejected his application for leave to appeal.
Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria home on February 14 2013. He said he thought there was an intruder in the house when he fired four shots through the closed door of the toilet cubicle while she was inside.
Pistorius was in prison for a year before being released on correctional supervision in October last year.
– Tiso Black Star Group Digital/The Times
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