It’s the law…

I spent yesterday at the Randburg Magistrates court. I wasn’t the one in trouble (though most people assume I was), I was there to testify against a guy who stole my handbag 2 months ago at Sandton Square.

So arrive ready for a day in court, with my book (no sense in being bored!). Everyone sits outside on the very uncomfortable wooden benches, looking at everyone else, with suspicion, trying to figure out why they are there.

At 9:00 we all go into the courtroom and the first case is 2 guys, of about 18, up for Assault (probably a bar fight, over a girl), the case is dropped. The second case is dropped. The next few cases, the accused all plead guilty. There was a guy there for fraud (the changed the price tag on a shirt); 2 ladies for shoplifting (1 for R6 500 worth of luxury goods, another for R60 worth of food); a man in for possession of dagga (114 matchboxes, and guess what… he’s self employed – this had the attorneys and magistrate giggling) and a guy who trespassed. And then there was the case I was there for….

The accused refused to plead guilty, even though he didn’t have much of a case going for himself. There were huge discrepancies between his statement and ours that they were laughable. So we got comfortable (well as much as you can when your ass is going uncomfortably numb) and prepared for battle.

I was called in to the witness stand that had a hole in the middle of the floor. I was sworn in “So help me God”. I assume this is not to be taken literally… what if you’re Muslim or a non-believer? Does that mean you’re free to say whatever you want, with no religious consequence or hell fire? Anyway, I gave my testimony and I think I did well. The Legal Aid lawyer was quite good, but so am I! J the only hiccup was I tried to leave the stand twice, when I wasn’t supposed to… oops!

The Security guard who arrested the accused gave his testimony. He was also quite good, and I think together we did very well! Then the accused took the stand. He lied and changed his story so many times that the court translator told him to stop lying and get it together. I sitting in ‘Sun City’ for 2 months gives you time to come up with some interesting stories. This guy then decided he could prove he was actually looking for a job and not stealing my bag, by going to find his friends who could be witnesses for him. As if! And that’s when I left…. It really wasn’t going anywhere and the judge was leaning our way.

And that took up 7 hours of my day, though I did get paid R20!!! for my effort!