- Lawyer Charlotte Tibana and her metro police officer husband face fraud and money laundering charges involving more than R4-million from three deceased estates.
- The Steve Biko inquest is expected to hear its first witness as his family continues its decades-long search for answers about his death.
A lawyer accused of stealing millions from dead people's estates, a businessman making another desperate bid for bail and three men accused of killing police officers are among those heading to court on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Madlanga Commission continues dealing with claims involving Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala, while the reopened Steve Biko inquest is finally expected to hear its first witness.
Polokwane: Couple fight for bail in R4-million estate case
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Limpopo lawyer Charlotte Tibana and her husband, Tshwane Metro Police officer Peter "Gagash" Nonyane, are expected to continue their bail application in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court.
The couple were arrested earlier this month.
The state is opposing bail and the investigating officer is expected to continue giving evidence.
Tibana runs a law firm in Polokwane and was appointed executor of several deceased estates.
The National Prosecuting Authority claims she unlawfully transferred money from trust accounts.
Nonyane, who is also a social media personality, is accused of being involved in the suspected fraud.
The case initially involved about R1.75-million.
But prosecutors have since added further allegations, taking the total amount to more than R4-million across three deceased estates.
Tibana faces three fraud charges and two money laundering charges.
Nonyane faces two fraud charges and two money laundering charges.
Both deny the allegations.
Johannesburg: Mogotsi makes fourth bid for freedom
Self-proclaimed political fixer Brown Mogotsi is expected to make another attempt to get out of jail.
It will be his fourth bail bid.
The controversial North West businessman has been behind bars since his arrest in May for allegedly staging a hit on his own life last year.
He faces charges including perjury, defeating the ends of justice and unlawful possession of a firearm.
His latest attempt is expected to rely on new information about the residential address where he would stay if released.
His first bail application failed after the court found that three addresses he supplied could not be verified.
Mogotsi tried again using what he described as new facts.
The court rejected that application, finding that he had simply reshuffled information it had already considered.
He then approached the Johannesburg High Court, but it also refused to overturn the lower court's decision.
Mogotsi has also been accused of trying to bribe the investigating officer. He strongly denies that claim.
Boksburg: Three accused of killing cops seek bail
Three men accused of killing police officers and two women in Reiger Park are expected to apply for bail in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court.
Regan Collis, Jamal Meyer and Elvino Crafford will appear together for the first time since their arrests.
They face charges including murder and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The state claims the men acted together in the killings of members of the anti-gang unit and two civilian women.
During Meyer's first court appearance last week, his lawyer claimed police assaulted him while trying to force him to confess.
The three accused are now expected to fight for their release on bail.
Pretoria: Prison officials reject Matlala lawyer claims
The Department of Correctional Services has hit back at claims that prison restrictions made it difficult for Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala to prepare for the Madlanga Commission.
Matlala's lawyers claimed conditions at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre made it difficult to prepare his affidavit and testimony.
But department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said officials gave Matlala and his lawyers three consecutive days to consult.
He said five lawyers visited Matlala on 21 August. Two returned the following day and three attended another consultation on 23 August.
"They managed to consult with Matlala. I do not know then what else was expected of us," Nxumalo said.
He said office space was also offered for the consultations.
Nxumalo said lawyers are allowed to consult inmates privately, although security must still be maintained.
"By law, every offender who requires to consult with a lawyer must be afforded space to do so," he said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He added that lawyers should make arrangements beforehand so prison officials can prepare inmates and avoid unnecessary delays.
Gqeberha: Steve Biko inquest finally hears first witness
Nearly 49 years after Steve Biko died in police detention, the reopened inquest into his death is expected to hear its first witness on Tuesday.
The proceedings in the Gqeberha High Court nearly ran into trouble because of a fight over funding for the Biko family's lawyers.
Legal Aid South Africa rejected the family's application for legal representation.
The Department of Justice later stepped in and agreed to cover the family's legal costs, allowing proceedings to continue.
Biko died on 12 September 1977 from injuries suffered while in police detention.
Despite the decades that have passed, nobody has ever been held criminally responsible for his death.
The reopened inquest will once again examine the circumstances surrounding his death and the evidence available to the court.
For Biko's family, it marks another chapter in a search for answers that has lasted almost half a century.
