Man linked to Phala Phala robbery in court for arms case

CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape taxi strike has disrupted the court rolls.

Many cases had to be postponed because staff, including stenographers and interpreters were not available.

The possession of arms case against Urbanus Shaumbwako, the Nambian national linked to the multi-million rand Phala Phala farm robbery, also had to be postponed.

That's because there was no interpreter present. 

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Shaumbwako was arrested at a Cape Town roadblock in October 2020, and has been in prison awaiting trial since then.

His lawyer Reon Heckrath says his client has the right to a speedy trial and the state could have used its resources to fetch the interpreter and bring him to court.

The matter has been postponed for trial to 11 August.

* eNCA's Ayesha Ismail reports.