IDLE: Maun magistrates court workers

Suspects meant to appear before the Maun Magistrate Court for trial will have to wait longer because the court has no money to transport and pay witnesses.

State witnesses appear before the court at the expense of the government unlike defence witnesses who are funded by the accused person.

A source within the magistrate court told The Voice that only those who were to appear for sentencing or mentions were to be transported.

Since last week Thursday, the court has been an empty place with only a few members of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and police escorts who bring  two or three accused persons for mention and leave within a few minutes.

Maun based private attorney, Lumbila Wanano of Charles Tlagae and Attorneys said the move will infringe on the rights of accused persons.

“Accused persons should go on trial within reasonable time and both the state and defence attorneys may end up losing witnesses contacts.”

Wanano also revealed that this was not the first time for such a thing to happen.

He said that the postponement of trial cases may also affect some witnesses because they may forget crucial information that can be of good use to the court.

Another attorney Lawrence Lecha of Lecha and Attorneys said he was surprised by the latest developments.

“They should have made that information public for everyone to know. If government does not have money, what about the man on the street?” he added.

However spokesperson of Administration of Justice Monageng Monageng said that he was not aware that Maun magistrate court had suspended trials.

“I will try to contact their office because they should have contacted us if they had financial problems.”

When contacted again later, he claimed that Maun Magistrate Court lines were down.

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