Cape Town - A former prosecutor, facing charges of sexual assault and possession of child pornography, appeared in the Parow Sexual Offences Court in Cape Town, on Friday.
The 42-year-old man, who may not be named, appeared before Magistrate Elsa van Zyl, who warned him to appear again on August 7.
Formerly based at the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court, he was arrested on December 29 last year, and subsequently released on bail of R1 000.
At his first appearance on December 30, before the same court, he said he wished to wait for the completion of the investigation, before deciding his legal representation.
At subsequent proceedings, he said he wished to appoint a lawyer, but could not afford one yet, and needed time.
At Friday’s proceedings, it transpired that he had, finally, appointed prominent Cape Town lawyer William Booth, and the case was postponed for consultation purposes.
He has not pleaded to the charges yet, and he may not be identified until he does.
At his first appearance, the prosecutor said the State did not oppose his release on bail, and suggested R2 000.
However, the accused, who had been suspended from his job, said he had in fact resigned his post with effect from December 31, and was currently unemployed.
He could only afford R1 000 bail, he told the court, and bail was accordingly fixed at R1 000.
The charge sheet did not give any details of the charges, and the prosecutor said the charges would only be finalised after the completion of the investigation.
The charge sheet showed he resided in Robertson, but it transpired that he also had a residential address in Malmesbury.
One of the bail conditions bans him from going to Malmesbury or Atlantis, without the permission of the investigating officer.
The man said he would live in Robertson with his former wife and daughter, and it transpired also that he was receiving therapy for his affliction in Robertson.
He was also attending group support sessions in Malmesbury, he told the court.