The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed the application by a well-known personality for a media blackout during her testimony in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial.
"The court finds that witness number one did not advance sufficient reasons to justify order restricting both audio and visual broadcasts of her evidence. At the same time there is no reason to subject the witness to an atmosphere during the course of her testimony which compares worse as compared to what prevailed when the last two witnesses gave their evidence," said Maumela.
Maumela said the trial attracts much public interest and the witness could not elaborate how her life could be endangered should her testimony be broadcast live. "The case is about a murder which attracted much publication and was reported in both print and visual media. There is a huge public interest in these proceedings... The applicant [witness] said she runs a real risk of suffering prejudice...
"Up until now, this court does not know what perils witness number one on how she will be threatened in the event where her testimony will be broadcasted... The witness's voice and face are already out in the public due to her past participation on social media were she addressed issues on this case.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Meyiwa trial witness' media blackout request dismissedMeyiwa trial witness' media blackout request dismissed: The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed the application by a well-known personality for a media blackout during her testimony in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial.
Read more »
Social media posts used against 'concealed' State witness in Meyiwa trialA media lawyer used them to fight her application to block the broadcast of her testimony.
Read more »
Senzo Meyiwa Trial | More delays in the trialVIDEO | The Senzo Meyiwa trial was once again delayed today as the focus was solely on the new state witness' application to bar the live broadcast of her cross-examination.
Read more »
LISTEN | Lawyer calls bluff on witness request for media blackout in Meyiwa trialThe prosecutor in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, George Baloyi, told the Pretoria high court on Wednesday that the state's next witness feared a social media “onslaught” if she testified live on camera.
Read more »
Meyiwa murder trial: Hidden witness’ social media onslaught examinedThe concealed witness, a public figure, delayed the main trial when she objected to her testimony being broadcasted live by the media, citing that it could put her life in danger.
Read more »
Senzo Meyiwa trial: Application to ban media ‘a publicity stunt’The objection by the state’s next witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial to having her testimony broadcast live over “fears for her safety” has been rubbished by media lawyer Dan Rosengarten, who called her application “a publicity stunt”.
Read more »