Child prostitution case: mother seeks sponsor; Defendant Attorney’s Lawyer Withdrawn

[Nat Quinn]

Child prostitution case: mother seeks sponsor; Defendant Attorney’s Lawyer Withdrawn by Ronelle Snyders

According to the mother’s legal representative, new information has emerged that is now leading to a renewed attempt to seek bail.

The Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Monday heard the mother, 40, who allegedly rented out her two minor daughters for prostitution, had indicated she would file a bail application based on new facts.

Harold Davids, the mother’s legal representative, indicated that he had already requested the court record of the woman’s first bail application in the magistrate’s court. He did not elaborate on why it was decided to file a new bail application just now, after the trial had already progressed a long way.

She is on trial along with Callie Schoeman, 36, an attorney from Heidelberg, on several sex-related charges. They are collectively being prosecuted on more than 70 charges that include rape, trafficking of children, failure to report a victim of human trafficking, sexual assault, possession and production of child pornography, sexual exploitation of minors, sexual solicitation of a minor, child abuse and brandishing a firearm.

Schoeman’s case also came to a standstill for the foreseeable future after he terminated his legal representative, Adv. Deon Pool’s mandate.

Pool informed Judge Rian Strydom that his mandate had been terminated due to a “conflict of interest”.

In response to questions from the judge, Pool stated only for the court record that the commissioning attorney, Raymond Eastes, was about to complain to the Legal Practitioners Council.

Eastes filed a statement, including reasons why Pool was fired and asked for a postponement.

“The reasons do not need to be discussed here as it is something that the legal representatives touch on and Mr Scott is not aware of the allegations. Pool indicated he was opposed to being charged with the Legal Practitioners Council,” Strydom said.

Davids, the mother’s legal representative, immediately asked Eastes to confirm immediately whether Schoeman would have enough money to pay for a new lawyer. Advocate Riana Williams, public prosecutor, also said “the state hears alarms ringing” when there are concerns about money.

According to Eastes, Schoeman, who is still a practicing attorney at Heidelberg, is having trouble generating an income because he has to report to the police station every Saturday as part of his bail conditions. Eastes therefore submitted an application that Strydom granted, namely that he must notify the investigating officer at least 12 hours in advance if he has to travel for work over a weekend and two hours otherwise in the week. These conditions only apply if he has to leave Gauteng for work. It is unknown why Schoeman is still allowed to practice when the charges against him are so serious.

Strydom postponed the case until February so that it can first be determined whether Schoeman has obtained new legal representation for the trial to be resumed in March.

Judge Rian Strydom has already heard testimony from several guest house owners, where the eldest sister allegedly kept appointments with Schoeman, as well as a medical report from a state doctor who examined the girl and noticed internal injuries.

Furthermore, the girl’s grandmother told the investigating officer in a statement that the girl hates her mother because she allegedly rented her out.

Davids said outside court: “She is not a flight risk and has an address where she will be able to live for the duration of her trial,”

He declined to divulge more details about what the new facts in the case entailed, other than to say he believed the magistrate’s court erred at the time in denying the woman’s bail application.

 

source:Child prostitution case: mother seeks sponsor; lawyer withdrawn from accused lawyer – Volkskrag News

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