Cape Town - The taxi driver accused of killing Mitchell's Plain sisters Nurah and Nishaat Thomas made a legal U-turn when he abandoned his Legal Aid representative for a second time in the Mitchell’s Plain Regional Court yesterday.
Likhona Mgidi faces charges of culpable homicide and negligent driving as he was driving without a driver’s licence at the time of the crash on March 3 last year.
Mgidi jumped a red robot on the corner of Merrydale and Westport Avenue, Portlands and crashed his Toyota Quantum van into the sisters’ father’s Opel Corsa as they were driving home.
Nishaat, 6, died on impact, while 2-year-old Nurah passed away in hospital two days later.
According to Mgidi’s former Legal Aid counsel, Nicole Brink, who addressed the court yesterday, she was under the impression that he would plead guilty in terms of section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
However, during a lengthy recess, Brink was informed by her client that her mandate had been terminated and that he would appoint a private attorney from Cape Town.
The State then confirmed that it had been in contact with his new legal counsel, who indicated that she hadn’t received financial instructions yet from the family.
Mgidi is currently out on R3000 bail. In March this year, he also terminated the mandate of his Legal Aid counsel. Magistrate Marry Jacwa yesterday gave Mgidi until Friday to get everything in order.
The witnesses, who were also present at court after they were summoned to testify, were informed to return on September 2, 2024.
Outside the court, family and friends were shocked by the latest developments in the case.
The girls’ father, Abduragmaan Thomas, said the back and forth was taking a toll on the family.
“It’s like he is taking chances, he doesn’t want to take responsibility.
“Every day is a struggle for us to live normally, I hope justice gets served no matter what the outcome is,” he said.
Cape Argus