Courtroom C of the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court was yesterday packed with lawyers, prosecutors, court orderlies and interpreters who wanted a glimpse of their colleague, a State prosecutor, in the dock.
Geoffrey Maponya was arrested hours after the body of a young woman was discovered in a dustbin outside a block of flats in Church Street on Thursday.
Yesterday he appeared in court in connection with charges of murder and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Police spokeswoman Sergeant Ann Poortman had earlier confirmed to the media that the victim has been identified as Precious Sibanda, 20, of Schubart Park.
Poortman said Sibanda had been identified by her aunt.
The whispering and murmurs inside the courtroom stopped as Maponya, neatly dressed in a black leather jacket and yellow tie, momentarily bowed in the direction of the bench as he entered the dock and stood with his hands folded in front of him.
State prosecutor Matric Luphondo asked that a personal letter be handed to Maponya for the preliminary suspension of his duties before the court proceedings got under way.
Maponya accepted the document, placed it on the bench beside him, and continued staring straight ahead.
The court heard from Luphondo that the State was in possession of evidence which had to be investigated.
Luphondo then asked that the case be postponed for further investigation.
He explained to the court that they had to determine whether the murder was a schedule five or six murder as Sibanda had various injuries to her body.
Luphondo told the court that Sibanda had several cases pending against her and an investigation had to be carried out to determine if the accused had been involved with any of the cases.
Maponya’s defence, Trevor Tlhasi, agreed with the postponement and requested a formal bail application for the next court date.
Tlhasi also requested the court to keep the accused in custody at the Pretoria Central police station as his life might in danger should he remain in custody at correctional services.
He explained that, due to the former position of the accused as a prosecutor in the district court, Maponya might be known to previously prosecuted criminals, and that could possibly place his life in jeopardy.
The State agreed with the requests and the case was postponed to April 21. - Pretoria News