Diplomats’s grandson loses legal counsel

A NEW trial date has been set for the grandson of a Namibian diplomat, Zondi Ashipembe, to face charges of attempted rape, robbery and housebreaking in the Pretoria Regional Court.

When Ashipembe appeared for what should have been the start of the trial on Thursday, the court was informed that his legal counsel, Allen Lephoko, had withdrawn from the case. Ashipembe has been unable to keep up with the legal costs.The state-appointed legal aid counsel, Bronwyn Marshall, informed the court that she had not yet received any of the documents or the case docket from Lephoko.The case was once again postponed for trial, this time until March 31.Ashipembe pleaded not guilty to all 67 charges he faces when he appeared in court last November.He is accused of breaking into the house of former Scorpions Advocate Gerda Ferreira in October 2004, assaulting and trying to rape her while holding her at knifepoint.The bulk of the charges stem from alleged robbery against Ferreira.A number of her possessions were found in Ashipembe’s home, while bank records reflect that numerous withdrawals were made from an automatic teller machine with a bank card Ashipembe is alleged to have stolen.Ashipembe remains free on bail.Ashipembe is the grandson of Namibia’s Third Secretary at the Namibian High Commission in Pretoria, Maria Amadhila.He was in her care and initially enjoyed immunity from the charges at the time of his arrest.The Namibian Government later waived that immunity.Ashipembe has been unable to keep up with the legal costs.The state-appointed legal aid counsel, Bronwyn Marshall, informed the court that she had not yet received any of the documents or the case docket from Lephoko.The case was once again postponed for trial, this time until March 31.Ashipembe pleaded not guilty to all 67 charges he faces when he appeared in court last November.He is accused of breaking into the house of former Scorpions Advocate Gerda Ferreira in October 2004, assaulting and trying to rape her while holding her at knifepoint.The bulk of the charges stem from alleged robbery against Ferreira.A number of her possessions were found in Ashipembe’s home, while bank records reflect that numerous withdrawals were made from an automatic teller machine with a bank card Ashipembe is alleged to have stolen.Ashipembe remains free on bail.Ashipembe is the grandson of Namibia’s Third Secretary at the Namibian High Commission in Pretoria, Maria Amadhila.He was in her care and initially enjoyed immunity from the charges at the time of his arrest.The Namibian Government later waived that immunity.