Pretoria - The estranged wife of one of the country’s top senior counsels, advocate William Mokhari appeared briefly in court this week alongside two co-accused following charges that she allegedly conspired to murder her husband.
Boitumelo Joyce Mokhari appeared with Shadrack Malipane and Jacob Malope for a formal bail hearing at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court.
Phindi Mjonondwane, Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, said the trio was released on R3 000 bail each without any conditions attached.
The men were arrested on April 14 after police received a tip-off about the alleged murder attempt. Mokhari meanwhile handed herself over at the Sandton police station on April 20 with the assistance of her legal representative.
According to Mjonondwane, they are facing a charge of conspiracy to kill advocate Mokhari.
The police acted on information given to them including allegations that the firearm to be used for the alleged murder attempt was allegedly delivered to a so-called prophet by the name of Malipane.
Mjonondwane said on arrival at the premises of the prophet police conducted a search, and a firearm and ammunition were allegedly found in the boot of Malipane's vehicle.
Prosecutor Lufuno Godfrey Maphiri, during the bail application, argued that the safety of the complainant, advocate Mokhari, would be compromised if the accused were released on bail.
He told the court divorce proceedings instituted by advocate Mokhari against his estranged wife were at the centre of the alleged plot.
The case was postponed to June 14 for further investigations, and the trio is expected to plead only at a later stage as the case will probably be referred to the high court for trial.
Advocate Mokhari is a well-known face in courts across the country, where he often appears in cases on behalf of government entities.
He made headlines in 2013 when he took high court Judge John Murphy on during a case involving Richard Mdluli. Mukhari, who represented the police in that matter, ended up lodging a professional misconduct complaint against Judge Murphy after the two clashed in court.
Mukhari was at the time the chairperson of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates.
Sparks flew when Judge Murphy asked Mokhari, “Does the commissioner want General Mdluli to return to work?” Mokhari then said, “This is presumptuous and I will not respond to the question”, to which the judge replied: “How dare you say this to me. Does the commissioner intend to reinstate General Mdluli?”
Mokhari once again said it was presumptuous, since it put the “cart before the horse”, and it would be improper for him to answer the question.
“I am not going to answer that,” the advocate said. Judge Murphy ordered the advocate to sit down. “You are finished with your submissions,” the judge said. Mokhari, however, responded that he would not sit down, because he had another submission to make, which he was entitled to do.
Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba eventually had to step in, and met the two in his chambers to address the issue.
Pretoria News