Cape Town -
The corruption case against a Hawks captain was postponed in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Friday.
Magistrate Zwelidumile Sogwagwa heard that Patrick Siyali's lawyer had withdrawn from the case and he needed time to give instructions to new lawyer William Booth.
The court extended Siyali's bail of R5 000 and told him to return on January 18.
The 52-year-old left the court looking happy, shaking the hands of reporters and wishing them a happy Christmas.
The postponement would allow the prosecution to get hold of bank statements, which it had requested almost two months ago.
Siyali, from Khayelitsha, faces charges of corruption, extortion and theft, and conspiracy to commit the first two charges.
According to the case docket, he had been working in the commercial crimes unit of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation since 2006.
It is the State's case that Siyali and a co-accused police officer, not identified, approached a woman who had apparently loaned money to a Congolese group and noticed they were operating a syndicate.
The accused allegedly told her she would be charged and demanded money from her, which she said she did not have.
The policemen apparently then took her wallet with R400 inside it and a camera worth R5 000. A book on former police commissioner Jackie Selebi was also stolen.
The woman, who was apparently the target of previous extortion, reported the matter to police.
A trap was set up at a McDonald's outlet and the accused was arrested with R500 in marked money.
The docket did not specify where and when the alleged crimes were committed.
Siyali intended pleading not guilty. - Sapa