Johannesburg - The trial of former Fidentia chief executive Joseph Arthur Brown is expected to continue in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.
The case was postponed on Monday when his lawyer again failed to appear in court.
Judge Anton Veldhuizen told Brown he had received a telephone call from his Johannesburg-based defence attorney June Marks, asking permission for her to be absent.
“I told her I cannot deal with the matter by telephone, and that she had to come to me in chambers first thing in the morning,” Veldhuizen said.
Marks did not comply with the judge's request.
She was also absent from proceedings at Brown's appearance last Tuesday.
The case was previously delayed when Brown dismissed his Legal Aid-appointed counsel and replaced him with Marks, whom he was also not paying.
Brown faces nine charges: four of fraud, two of corruption, two of theft and one of money-laundering.
One of the fraud counts involves an alleged R40-million pyramid investment scheme.
He has not yet pleaded. - Sapa