Cape Town -
Accountant Graham Maddock gave a technical testimony on Tuesday in the Fidentia embezzlement case in the Western Cape High Court.
Prosecutor Jannie van Vuuren led Maddock through reams of financial documents, reflecting investment funds received by Fidentia.
Judge Anton Veldhuizen, seemingly exasperated, questioned the necessity of the process and lamented that the process could take days.
Van Vuuren replied that it was important for the State to lead evidence about documents that either Maddock or former chief executive of the Fidentia group J Arthur Brown had known about.
Van Vuuren told the court the fact that Brown was conducting his defence himself placed the State in a difficult situation.
“As the prosecutor, I have also to look after the interests of Brown, even as the accused,” he added.
This prompted the judge to say to Brown: “There you have it... even the State is looking after you, whether you like it or not.”
Brown pleaded not guilty to four counts of fraud, two of corruption, two of theft and one of money laundering.
The proceedings lasted until the morning's tea adjournment, and were then postponed to Thursday, when Maddock is to resume his testimony.
Brown on two occasions objected to the “inferences being drawn” by Van Vuuren, as Van Vuuren led Maddock through the documents.
Brown said the inferences were factually incorrect, but the judge asked Brown to rather deal with them during cross-examination. - Sapa