MAGISTRATE RECUSES SELF FROM MURDER CASE AFTER RECOGNIZING “CHURCH SISTER”
Colin Blaire, the 51 year old man who knifed his neighbor Godfrey Phillips to death on Sunday night during a peace brokering initiative by the deceased, was today Thursday remanded to jail until March 12.
Blaire appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool who read the charge and accepted the particulars of the suspect who was not required to plea to the indictable charge.
However after the magistrate concluded the reading of the charge and remanded the accused, she announced that she would have to immediately recuse herself from trying the matter.
It turned out that a sister of the deceased and the Magistrate are known to each other as they attend the same church. The magistrate only realized this after, as the woman was leaving the court room.
The magistrate then adjourned the court, consulted with her colleague in Court 2 of the said building and then return and informed the accused that his matter will be tried in Court 2 on March 12.
On the night in question, Blaire stabbed Phillips to and then ripped the knife through him after the man cautioned him about abusing his, Blaire reputed wife.
Following the murderous act, Blaire fled his home but recaptured the following day after the police picked up intelligence about his whereabouts.
The accused was not represented in Court on Thursday.
