Cape Town - The family of Sharisha Chauhan, the 21-year-old law student who was murdered at a rave party in Paarl, said delays in the criminal matter have been emotionally taxing.
On Monday, both the State and defence team requested a trial date be set by the Western Cape High Court.
The matter has been on the high court roll for over two years. This is after a failed plea-agreement.
State Prosecutor Advocate Esna Erasmus said: “There has been a few meetings between the State and defence, but an agreement on plea and sentence cannot be reached. We therefore asked for a trial date.”
In response the defence’s Advocate Joey Moses said the accused had been seriously prejudiced.
“Genuine attempts for a plea and sentence agreement have been rendered meaningless and have never materialised. We agree with the request for a trial date,” Moses said.
Judge Kate Savage set a date of October 23, 2017. She said she did not want another postponement.
“The contents on the plea bargain was not recorded and shall not be on record. As the courts we were not involved in the matter and will therefore not include the contents in trial,” she said.
On New Year's Eve in 2013, Chauhan and her boyfriend Taariq Phillips - the accused - had been attending a rave party in Paarl.
The State alleges that around midnight, Phillips, Chauhan and some friends took drugs and went dancing. A short while later Chauhan started feeling sick. She and the accused then went to a tent they had been sharing, for Chauhan to rest.
About an hour later the accused called for help as Chauhan had experienced seizures.
It was initially believed that Chauhan had died of a drug overdose.
However, an autopsy report said she had been strangled to death.
Phillips faces charges of rape and murder.
Outside court 13, Chauhan’s mother, who declined to be named, said she the postponements in the matter were “frustrating”.
“It is like an emotional rollercoaster ride. It has been emotionally taxing and frustrating to continuously come to court only to hear about more delays. This is a second trial date. We just hope that it be the last wait,” she said.