THE cases against one former and a current top ranking Western Cape officials on trial for sexual offences have been postponed once again.
The two cases, which were scheduled to sit at different courts on Wednesday - one in Mitchells Plain and the other at Cape Town regional courts - have both been on the court roll since 2020.
Raphael Martin, a former City of Cape Town sub-council manager and Farrel Payne, Director for Traffic Services in the Western Cape, had their cases set down for first day of trial on Wednesday.
Martin, made a brief appearance in Mitchells Plain where the matter was once again postponed. He faces two counts of rape and one of sexual assault after it emerged he had abused a minor who was 13-years-old at the time.
Martin, who is out on bail of R1 000 had his contract suspended shortly after he was arrested in 2020.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Martin’s case was postponed to May 11 for plea and trial.
Some 20 kilometres away, the long-awaited trial against Payne was also rolled over to Thursday after it emerged that the magistrate on the case was not available.
Payne is facing charges of sexual assault, crimen injuria and attempting to commit a sexual act against a female employee who wrote to Premier Alan Winde asking for help.
The woman who spoke to Weekend Argus said Payne allegedly made various inappropriate remarks towards her and the “last straw” was when he allegedly grabbed her jacket in the work corridor on September 11, 2019.
The woman who came to court with her husband, family and two of the witnesses, learnt after Payne’s name was called out to take the stand, that the magistrate handling his case was off sick.
The acting magistrate, however rolled, over the case until Thursday and said that the magistrate handling the case would try her utmost best to be there.
A family member told Weekend Argus that they felt disappointed and frustrated.