Legal Aid South Africa has refused to cover preparation costs for Senzo Meyiwa murder accused seeking acquittal in ongoing murder case.
This decision comes as three of the four court-appointed lawyers vow to continue with discharge applications despite the financial setback.
Legal Aid Refuses To Fund Meyiwa Murder Accused In Discharge Bid
Following the state’s conclusion of its case in July, four of the five defendants signalled their intention to pursue discharge under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. This legal provision permits case dismissal when the prosecution fails to present sufficient evidence for conviction.
A Legal Aid SA representative confirmed to the Pretoria High Court that while the organisation supports the accused throughout the trial process, it won’t finance the specialised preparation needed for these discharge motions.
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“Our constitutional committee determined we couldn’t justify funding four additional weeks of preparation specifically for Section 174 applications,” the official stated.
Defense Attorneys Face Financial Dilemma
Advocate Charles Mnisi, representing two defendants, expressed concern about uncompensated preparation work:
“Having already reviewed nearly 40,000 pages since January, I’m not in a position to repeat this effort without remuneration.”
Despite this, his clients insist on proceeding with their application. Other defense counsel adopted varying approaches:
- Sipho Ramosepele committed to advancing his client’s application despite funding challenges
- Zithulele Nxumalo confirmed he would continue preparations already underway
- Zandile Mshololo opted against filing a discharge motion, preparing instead for defense presentation
Legal Aid’s Controversial Stance
The government-funded legal service reportedly informed defendants that their discharge bids had minimal success prospects.
“They’ve told our clients we don’t have a leg to stand on with this application,” revealed one attorney.
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The court established strict deadlines for the proceedings:
August 15: Submission of application arguments
August 22: Response filings (if applicable)
August 25: Oral arguments presentation
The five defendants—Mthobisi Mncube, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli—maintain their innocence in the 2014 murder of the beloved soccer star, who was fatally shot at his girlfriend’s Vosloorus residence.