The Northern Cape High Court postponed the trial of Alberto Matthews on Monday after his defence requested a delay as he was feeling ill. Matthews, accused of murdering his ex-wife Mandy Bailey, 43, appeared in court but was reportedly suffering from severe diarrhoea.
THE DEFENCE requested a postponement from the Northern Cape High Court on Monday, citing that murder accused Alberto Matthews was feeling ill.
Matthews appeared in court on Monday where he is facing charges of allegedly shooting his ex-wife, Mandy Bailey, 43, in front of her nine-year-old daughter at their home in Main Road, Beaconsfield, on December 27 last year.
His legal representative, advocate Celeste Nameka, stated that Matthews was suffering from diarrhoea and had not received the necessary medical care from the Department of Correctional Services. She added that it was unclear how long his recovery would take.
State advocate Leshnee Pillay confirmed that the State was ready to proceed with the trial.
Judge Almé Stanton advised that she did not wish to delay court proceedings for another week. She instructed that Matthews receive appropriate medical treatment while in custody and postponed the case until Wednesday.
Bailey’s daughter, Erin Cupido, believed that the accused was using delaying tactics and added that the bereaved family was struggling to find closure following the incident.
“Even though the accused also has rights, I am angry that the matter is not proceeding at a faster pace. We are unable to move on with our lives following the murder,” she said.
Ronel Booysen added that they would do “everything in their power” to ensure that justice was served for her sister’s death.
Family friend Marilyn Johnson, while expressing her heartbreak and anger, shared that colleagues from the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs had taken leave from work in order to support the family in court.
“Even if the accused remains ill for another month, we will continue to stand by the bereaved family,” she said.
Community activist Herbert Miller added that it often seemed like criminals enjoyed more rights than their victims.
