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Nkabinde Enquiry
Chairperson of the Nkabinde Enquiry, retired Justice Bess Nkabinde, has criticised Western Cape Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shareen Riley, for unnecessarily delaying the proceedings.
The Nkabinde enquiry is looking into the South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andrew Chauke’s fitness to hold office.
Riley’s testimony was rescheduled on Wednesday after she requested a postponement to prepare herself.
This morning, the panel adjourned the proceedings once again to 14h00 after Riley’s legal team requested more time to sort out her evidence documents.
Judge Nkabinde voiced her frustration over the delays.
“What is most troubling for all of us is that this is just not a lay witness. She’s an advocate. She’s an officer of the court. Most of the witnesses who testified are not even lawyers, and we never encountered problems with those witnesses. Now, someone who understands court proceedings better, who should be even more accountable, who can prepare her statements. We have now wasted a day yesterday and this morning, and we are told that the witness prefers to start at 14h00 without a clear indication as to why.”
Meanwhile, Chauke’s legal counsel, Advocate Tembeka Nqcukaitobi, has expressed concern about the delay, saying it is disrespectful to the inquest.
“I think this is beyond me, and I have to say what Mr Chowder feels, which he has repeated to us. We don’t accept the adjournment of Advocate Riley. We ask the panel to direct it to start now. There is no reason why we’re adjourning. No reason at all. Number 2, yesterday was extreme disrespect to this panel. I’ve never seen, actually, a panel being disrespected so much by witnesses.”
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