Murder accused Corrine Jackson has pulled another fast one by appointing a new lawyer as her trial was set to resume this week, after being seven years on the court roll.
Jackson made a brief appearance at Mitchells Plain Regional Court on Monday, where she is facing a charge of murder and assault.
The State alleges that she killed her estranged girlfriend, 18-year-old Nadine Esterhuizen, at a residence in Mitchells Plain in September 2017.
In a surprise move, Asghar Mia came on record for Jackson. Mia had been her attorney earlier during the trial. The matter was postponed to 15 April. The State had previously called for no further postponements and delays for the trial.
Linda Jones of Mitchells Plain Residents Association and the Community Policing Forum said they are also moeg of the delays.
2Jones says: “The grandmother of the deceased has passed away and she has not lived to see justice in this case. We will not have it that this trial is delayed any further. There was an order from the court.
“Year in and out, we are seeing perpetrators who are allowed to play the system as it seems to have been designed to favour them.”
Esterhuizen was stabbed more than 20 times.
During Jackson’s bail application, the detective testified that Esterhuizen’s attacker had left an open wound around her neck, and had attempted to cut her head off.
Jackson claimed she acted in self-defence.
Jackson is also facing a charge of contravening a protection order relating to an incident which allegedly took place at Strandfontein Pavilion prior to the murder.