CAPE TOWN (AFP) - The Cape Town High Court on Wednesday postponed the trial of Muslim leader Abdus-Salaam Ebrahim and three fellow members of his PAGAD movement to May of next year.
Ebrahim was arrested for the murder of a notorious Cape Town gangster, Rashaad Staggie, on December 29th, as police clamped down on PAGAD (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs), labeled a terrorist group by government.
He has been in detention ever since and is awaiting trial on 25 other charges including one of “terrorism” for ordering a number of bombings in Cape Town in 1997 and 1998.
Judge Dirk Uys on Wednesday said he had to postpone the murder trial, as it was clear the state was not ready to proceed.
He said the television media was responsible for the delay, as it had refused to provide footage of the PAGAD demonstration during which Staggie was shot, stabbed and set alight, to the state as evidence.
The state earlier this week told the court it had to rely on media footage from the SABC state broadcaster, Reuters and the Associated Press, as witnesses were too scared to testify.
Prosecuting authorities last month seized videotapes from the SABC and Reuters and have subpoenaed them, together with the Associated Press, for more material.
Ebrahim was refused permission to apply for bail, but his three co-accused, including a former PAGAD front man, will be allowed to apply.
Ebrahim's murder trial is now set for May 14, 2001. A date for the terrorism trial will be set in February next year.
PAGAD was formed in 1996 with the stated aim of ridding Cape Town of drug-dealing gangsters. It has since fallen foul of the law and been blamed by the government for a spate of bombings in the city in recent years.
