Top cop back in court
The Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court is expected to deliver judgment on Tuesday in the case of senior police officer Lt-Gen Bethuel Zuma, who is accused of driving through a roadblock and trying to escape from custody.
During his last appearance, the court heard that Zuma fled into a house and hid there for hours.
Prosecutor K Zimu told the court Zuma probably stayed inside the house because he knew that the tests should be done within two hours of the arrest, in order for them to stand up in court.
On August 31, Zuma was appointed as Gauteng's new police commissioner, replacing Mzwandile Petros. Hours later, he was removed from the post after it emerged that the criminal case against him was still pending.
He pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to stop when ordered to, drunk driving, attempting to escape from custody, and defeating the ends of justice.
The charge of driving under the influence or defeating the ends of justice was withdrawn in December.
Zuma allegedly ignored officers' instructions to stop at a roadblock in Pietermaritzburg in December 2008, as he thought the roadblock was bogus.
Sergie Briniah, for Zuma, said there were inconsistencies in some of the evidence given by State witnesses.
Zimu argued that the incident took place five years ago at night and that differences in detail should be expected.
-Sapa