Pretoria - Advocate Jeanette Neveling, former head of the Special Commercial Crimes Unit in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the North West, who has been accused of theft, will stand trial in June after the Molopo Magistrate’s Court postponed the matter on Wednesday.
Neveling was arrested on February 16, 2021, on an allegation of shoplifting at a retail shop at The Crossing Shopping Mall in Mmabatho.
She allegedly stole clothing and food items valued at about R3 000.
She is out on R500 bail.
The trial was scheduled to start on Wednesday. However, her legal representative requested a postponement, saying she was not feeling well.
North West NPA spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the State was ready to proceed with the trial and had long provided the defence attorney with the charge sheet as well as the video footage contained as evidence.
“The State hopes the trial commences on the set date and that all outstanding matters will be ventilated during trial proceedings,” Mamothame said.
Mamothame said Neveling had resigned from her position and ceased being an NPA employee on October 30, 2021.
The matter will be heard on June 13.
In another similar matter, a former candidate attorney at Malabye Mthembu Attorneys and Partners, 32-year-old Onga Ntozini, has been summoned to appear in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on two counts of theft.
“It is alleged that Ntozini stole from the law firm by swindling money from the law firm’s trust fund to his account.
“Between November and December 2020, it is alleged that he stole approximately R3.8 million. The matter has been postponed to April 20, 2022, for disclosure of the contents docket,” said North Gauteng regional spokesperson for the director of public prosecutions, Lumka Mahanjana.
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