Lawyer says Uber rape accused's rights were abused

File picture: Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters.

File picture: Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters.

Published Mar 7, 2019

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Johannesburg - Advocate Michelle Ives who is representing the first of four persons accused of attacking Uber clients, Elias Mankgane, on Thursday told the Johannesburg High Court - sitting at Palmridge Magistrate's court - that her client’s rights were abused.

Ives told the court that police Lieutenant-Colonel Bayat denied her client his right to have legal representation during the identity parade that was done in September 2016.

During cross-examination on Thursday Bayat denied that Mankgane requested to have his representative present. "I did not get such a request," he said. He said if such a request had been made he would have postponed the id parade to another day. 

During the heated exchange, Judge Ramarumo Monama intervened and asked Ives not to be "emotional".

The accused quartet made up of - Mankgane, Daniel Maswikaneng, Treasure Bonga and Themba Mkuwanazi - allegedly went on a violent crime orgy in the north of Johannesburg, where they targeted Uber clients in July 2016.

Mankgane was allegedly the driver.

Police said a victim "positively identified" Mankgane and Maswikaneng during an identity parade held at Johannesburg Central Police Station. 

They have pleaded not guilty to the charges that include rape, robbery, kidnapping and assault. 

The trial continues. 

African News Agency (ANA)

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