Elections

 

The Swakopmund Regional Court has postponed the sentencing of Jandre Dippenaar to August 20. 

Dippenaar was convicted of six counts of murder over a fatal accident that happened in December 2014 near Henties Bay.

Dippenaar was further convicted on Thursday on charges of reckless and/or negligent driving and driving without a valid licence.

When he appeared for sentencing on Tuesday, the convict's lawyer, Petrie Theron, submitted an application for the court not to proceed with sentencing.

He said that the defence team still needed time to get a new senior lawyer because the initial lawyer had passed away in May.

Theron indicated that there was no way he could deliver justice to Dippenaar in the sentencing proceedings if the state continued to force him to be the senior legal counsel.

The defence lawyer further asked for a postponement for Dippenaar to get a new psychologist who could evaluate his mental state.

The state, on the other hand, argued that it would be an embarrassment and a waste of state resources and time if sentencing was postponed.

The state indicated that two witnesses, including the second survivor, who flew in from Germany, were ready to testify as witnesses.

The application for a postponement was further described as a delay tactic, and the state appealed to the magistrate to dismiss it.

Magistrate Gaynor Poulton decided to grant Dippenaar his wishes and postponed the sentencing to August 20 until August 22.

She stressed that the convict has a right to a fair trial and legal representation of his choice.

Poulton said that, just like the state, Dippenaar is also entitled to call his own witnesses to the stand.

Dippenaar, who has been in police custody since the verdict on Thursday, brought a formal bail application, which was strongly opposed by the state.

The magistrate agreed with the state and said nothing has changed since the verdict was delivered on Thursday.

Dippenaar will remain at the police holding cells at Walvis Bay.

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Author
Renate Rengura