After spending more than a month in Modderbee Prison, two Algerians arrested during the World Cup for theft have been released, says a report in The Star. The two men, Yagoubi Nabil (40) and Azibe Salim (38), left the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court after pleading guilty to the theft charges against them for a second time. Sentenced to a R6 000 fine or a six-month jail sentence, it took less than 30 minutes for the men to pay their fines. Nabil and Salim were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on 24 June, accused of stealing the wallet of another tourist.
Government urged to abandon censorship threat 27/07/2010
The media is again under dire threat of ’anti-freedom’ legislation reminiscent of the apartheid era, a group of three former newspaper editors said, urging the government to abandon the threat for the sake of the country’s reputation, notes a Mail & Guardian report. The three Harvey Tyson, Rex Gibson and Richard Steyn who each spent decades opposing press censorship in the apartheid era, described the twin threats a Media Tribunal and Protection of Information Bill as ’naοve, but dangerous’, noting they appeared ’to come in an uninformed attack by a few legislators who don’t like criticism’. They urged the powers-that-be not to do it. Together they would more than cancel out all the international goodwill the country earned through hosting the 2010 World Cup.
High Court set to rule on Soccer City 26/07/2010
The High Court in Johannesburg will rule next month on whether the iconic World Cup final stadium, Soccer City, would be renamed the FNB Stadium or National Stadium. Sport24 reports that FNB, who held the sponsoring rights before the FIFA World Cup, applied for a court interdict against the changing of the name to National Stadium. This was after current management decided to officially rename the stadium to National Stadium at the Springbok rugby team’s Tri Nations Test against the All Blacks there on August 21.
Paraglider case switched from WC court - 26/07/2010
The case against a Hout Bay paraglider who landed in a restricted area at the Cape Town Stadium during the World Cup has been transferred to an ordinary court. Christian Jacques Schlechter (34) made his fifth appearance before senior Magistrate Sam Maku on Sunday the final day of the country’s special World Cup Courts, notes a report on the IoL site. He was arrested on 23 June, after taking off from Lion’s Head at the foot of Table Bay Mountain, and being swept off-course by strong winds.
Jailed Algerian WC tourists to be retried 21/07/2010
The North Gauteng High Court has set aside the conviction of two Algerian tourists jailed for 18 months by a special World Cup court last month. A report on the IoL site notes that Algerian businessmen Yagoubi Nabil and Azibe Salim launched an urgent application after Kempton Park Magistrate Waynard Nel found them guilty of stealing 800 from an Australian tourist and sentenced them to 18 months imprisonment. The Director of Public Prosecutions had six witnesses, including the magistrate, their attorney and the investigating officer ready to testify.
French football international Franck Ribery was placed under formal judicial investigation on allegations he had sex with an under-age prostitute. The 27-year-old midfielder appeared before an investigating magistrate in Paris after having been detained by vice squad officers and questioned for six hours on a charge of having ’solicited an under-age prostitute.’ The magistrate’s indictment is the first stage of a judicial investigation that could lead to a trial and, if convicted, Ribery faces three years in jail and a fine of $58 000.
Judge wants WC miscarriage of justice claim explored β 20/07/2010
If two Algerians jailed by a World Cup court are victims of a miscarriage of justice, they must be freed, North Gauteng High Court Judge Ferdi Preller said yesterday. According to a Cape Times report, Yagoubi Nabil and Azibe Salim were in the country to watch the World Cup and after staying for 10 days were arrested at OR Tambo airport. They claim they know nothing of charges against them or the identity of a woman from whom they are accused of having stolen β¬800 at the airport.
The State withdrew charges against a man arrested after allegedly making a bomb threat at Cape Town’s FIFA Fan Fest. Sipho Mshweshwe, 32, from Table View in Cape Town, had made several court appearances. Prosecutor Nation Loliwe told the Cape Town Regional Court that representations to prosecuting authorities by Mshweshwe’s attorney Ben Mathewson had been successful. Mathewson said outside the court that Mshweshwe was ’very happy’.
Soccer City row erupts after WC final 17/07/2010
It’s official. On Sunday, the iconic stadium which hosted the opening game of the World Cup and the final reverts to being the FNB Stadium - but it might be up to the High Court to decide for how long. The Star reports that the R3.4 billion showpiece calabash in Joburg, which will forever be known as Soccer City to million of overseas soccer fans - and indeed to most GPS users until their software is updated - will now be known as the FNB Stadium for the next four years.
WC courts to remain in place Radebe 15/07/2010
Smarter justice, faster transport and more police South Africans will continue to score, thanks to the World Cup, senior government officials said yesterday. A report in The Times quotes Justice Minister Jeff Radebe as saying the 56 dedicated courts set up in the nine host cities to deal with Cup-related crimes would continue beyond their planned 25 July life span. He said the spec ialised courts would complement initiatives such as the creation of new High Courts to help clear massive case backlogs. The report notes World Cup Courts heard 205 cases and pronounced 122 convictions.
Uganda has made arrests after Somali Islamists said they detonated two bombs killing at least 74 people, and an unexploded suicide-bomb belt has been found at a third site, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday. According to a report on the News24 site, the twin explosions ripped through two bars heaving with soccer fans watching the closing moments of the World Cup final on television late on Sunday. ’Arrests were made late yesterday after an unexploded suicide bomber’s belt was found in the Makindye area (of the capital Kampala),’ said government spokesperson Fred Opolot.
The Spanish soccer fan who tried to grab the World Cup trophy ten minutes before kick-off in the final between Spain and the Netherlands has been fined R2 000. Jaume Marquet Cot, appeared in a World Cup Court in Johannesburg on Monday.
Sport24 reports that police said Cot breached security on the north side of the pitch on Sunday and tried to grab the World Cup trophy on display near the players’ entrance tunnel.
The German soccer fan who allegedly assaulted a cabin crew member when his plane did not make it to the soccer World Cup semifinal appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Friday, the National Prosecuting Authority said.
Jorg Mardos’ lawyers are consulting with witnesses and the state. Mardos allegedly assaulted a cabin crew member and insulted others on landing in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday night. He had been on a Durban-bound SA Airways flight which was forced to turn back due to congestion at King Shaka International Airport on Wednesday.
Doubt cast on retention of quickfire court action - 08/07/2010
Doubts have been expressed over plans to replicate aspects of World Cup courts which have seen the cases of criminals who have targeted visitors to the event, or visitors in trouble, swiftly concluded, says a report on the News24 site. ’They have dedicated prosecutors sitting around making snotbolletjies (snot balls) waiting for a case to come to them,’ commented Golden Miles Bhudu, head of SA Prisoners’ Organisation for Human Rights, in response to the Justice Department’s hopes to carry over successful elements of the courts to the ’normal’ justice system.
World Cup prosecutions a success NPA - 06/07/2010
World Cup Courts have found at least 100 people guilty of offences related to the soccer tournament, the NPA said yesterday, according to a report in The Citizen. The courts had dealt with 216 cases, said spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga, adding there were 13 pending trials, eight part-heard matters and 25 cases in need of further investigation. Another 65 cases had been withdrawn including those not placed on the court roll three people had been found not guilty, and two warrants of arrest had been issued for people who had failed to appear in court. ’Prosecuting these cases has been a remarkable success if one has regard to this statistical account and the excellent work done by police, prosecutors as well as the court officials working in these courts,’ said Mhaga.
Fans worldwide have fashioned replicas of the World Cup trophy out of everything from papier-mache to plastic, notes a report on the IoL site. But a lawbreaker in Colombia gets top prize for most original material: cocaine. Airports anti-drug chief Col. Jose Piedrahita says that Colombian authorities found the unusual statue during a routine security check by anti-drug agents in a mail warehouse at Bogota’s international airport.
Instead of enjoying the soccer match between Serbia and Ghana at Loftus Versfeld Stadium like the rest of the world, a Congolese refugee, who had a complimentary ticket to watch this game, pick-pocketed a cellphone from a fellow soccer fan.
For that Boyenge Dally Basele, from Kinshasa was sentenced to a fine of R12 000 or 24 months in jail, wholly suspended for five years by the World Cup Court at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
A man who burgled a Camp’s Bay house where American soccer World Cup tourists were staying, and twice threatened to kill them, has jailed for 15 years, notes a report on the News24 site. Unemployed John Mthambo, appeared in the Cape Town World Cup Regional Court before Magistrate Deon Oosthuysen. Oosthuysen said US tourist Steven Davis and his companions had returned to the house about 5am on June 14, after a night out, and disturbed Mthambo.
The lawyer of British journalist Simon Wright has hit out at national police commissioner General Bheki Cele, who on Tuesday told journalists that Wright had ’orchestrated’ a plot with an English fan to paint World Cup security in a bad light, notes a report on the news24 site. William Booth was speaking outside a Cape Town special World Cup court where Wright’s case had just been postponed to July 7 and his R3 000 bail extended.
British soccer fan Pavlos Joseph is a free man after paying a R750 admission of guilt fine, the Cape Town World Cup Court heard. Londoner Joseph was charged after entering the English team’s dressing room in Cape Town following a match on June 18, notes a report on the IoL site. His advocate Craig Webster told the magistrate that Joseph’s legal team had made representations to the Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
A Brisith reporter from The Sunday Mirror has been arrested by the South African police for ’orchestrating’ the incident at Cape Town’s Greenpoint Stadium where UK citizen, Pavlos Joseph trespassed into the English team’s change room.
The Times reports that Simon Wright was arrested for ’booking hotels for Joseph under a false name and also harbouring and interviewing Joseph for seven days after he made news,’ sais National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele. Cele told both local and international media that police had evidence that Wright had orchestrated the incident and ’involved the cooperation of a number of individuals’.
US man kills crying girl during WC match - 29/06/2010
A Texas man accused of fatally beating his 2-year-old stepdaughter when she wouldn’t stop crying as he watched a 2010 World Cup game has been charged with capital murder. The Times reports that McAllen Police Sgt. Joel Morales says 27-year-old Hector Castro was charged after his Saturday arrest. Castro is being held on $1 million bond at the Hidalgo County jail, where a booking clerk says he does not yet have an attorney.
The 2010 World Cup has become the fourth consecutive tournament to be free of doping so far, FIFA said. More than 450 players have been screened during the World Cup, including almost 200 match day checks, notes a report on the IoL site. FIFA chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak said no positive results were received, meaning the 2010 tournament is following the example of previous editions in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
Hundreds of fans denied entry into SA - 27/06/2010
Six hundred and thirteen travellers have been barred entry into South Africa during the 2010 World Cup, the Home Affairs department said. Spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said that since the beginning of the month, the travellers were denied entry because their names appeared either on the Interpol, FIFA or South Africa’s Visa and Entry Stop List, notes a Mail & Guardian report. ’The 613 foreign travellers were detected through South Africa’s movement control system launched in May this year,’ he said.
Cops issue stern warning to ticket touts - 26/06/2010
Police have issued a stern warning: if you are caught selling World Cup tickets, you will be arrested and prosecuted. Gauteng police spokesman Brigadier Govindsamy Mariemuthoo issued the admonition after three men were released on bail when they appeared in a special World Cup court in Randburg on Friday. The men - a South African, an American and a German - were arrested following a Crime Line tip-off on Thursday. Police seized 70 World Cup match tickets.
A North West man was jailed for two years for stealing a blanket and three beers from a 75-year-old German fan after a World Cup match, police said on Friday.
Mothusi Phiri, 21, was arrested on Tuesday evening after he robbed the German man of his complimentary blanket and Budweiser beers after the Mexico-Uruguay match in Rustenburg, police said. ’He was arrested on the same day and sentenced to 36 months, which was reduced to two years,’ said North West police spokesperson Lesego Metsi.
Eager Portuguese fans, waiting for hours to spot the team leaving King Shaka International Airport on Friday, were told by police they could not flash their breasts at the players. And, as the bus eased by, elated fans waved, blew kisses, but restrained themselves from flashing after a threat that they would be arrested. Chantelle De Sousa, 18, a staunch Portugal supporter, was hoping to catch the eye of Cristiano Ronaldo, by flashing her ’assets’.
A 2010World Cup court has postponed the trespass case of a British fan arrested for entering the England team changing room and lecturing David Beckham on the squad’s drab performance. Sport24 reports that magistrate Aziz Hamied extended Pavlos Joseph’s bail and postponed the matter until next week to give the defence time to raise new issues with prosecutors, which could lead to the dropping of charges. The fan says he wandered by accident on June 18 into the dressing room after England drew 0-0 draw with Algeria while looking for a toilet but he also told the team their performance had been a
The courts set up specifically to administer swift justice in cases of World Cup-related crime have sparked controversy, notes a report on the iAfrica.com site. While some have applauded the swift work of the courts, others have suggested that what is being administered is not justice at all. Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos who questioned whether some of the more restrictive by-laws would even pass constitutional muster suggested in his blog, Constitutionally Speaking, that the host city municipalities have essentially become an enforcement arm of a private company, Fifa.
British soccer fan sentenced for car accident death - 25/06/2010
A British man (24) has been fined an effective R8 000 or one year in jail by a special World Cup Court in Bloemfontein after a car crash on the N1 in which a man died. A report in The Citizennotes that the court fined James Haywood R24 000, or three years imprisonment, of which R16 000 or two years, was suspended for five years. Earlier, Haywood pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide. He and two friends were on their way to Bloemfontein on Sunday to watch the match between Slovakia and Paraguay when the accident happened 30 kilometres south of the city. The court heard earlier that Haywood, an avid soccer fan, had just taken over driving duties when the accident took place.
