The judge who presided over the case against apartheid-era cop Joao Rodrigues, charged with the murder of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol, said he warned the delays in the case would favour Rodrigues.
This, as the matter was officially removed from the court roll.
The late Rodrigues was charged with the murder of anti-apartheid activist Timol, but died before the trial could start.
On Thursday, Judge Ramarumo Monama officially removed the matter from the roll after Rodrigues, 82, died in his home at the beginning of September.
The trial was delayed when Rodrigues applied to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), appealing a judgment that dismissed his application for a permanent stay of prosecution in June 2019.
READ | Ahmed Timol’s nephew reacts to Joao Rodrigues’ death
In June 2021, the SCA also dismissed his bid.
“You will recall on numerous occasions that I said do not allow the intermit and intervening applications because they are going to delay and the delay is favourable to the accused,” Monama said.
In 2018, Rodrigues was charged with Timol’s 1971 murder after a second inquest into the death ruled that Timol’s death was not suicide.
