Tswelopele municipality mayor Kenalemang Phukuntsi made a brief appearance before the Hoopstad Magistrate Court today, on charges of theft and crimen injuria.
The embattled mayor was arrested last two months, in April at her home in Hoopstad, for illegally raiding foreign shops and fleeing away with stock worth R60 000, as she alleged that they were selling expired groceries.
The 51-year-old Phukuntsi, was then released on a R2 000 bail, with her matter postponed due to pending investigations.
However, the under pressure mayor returned to the dock yet again today, where her matter was then postponed to next week Friday, June 17 due to “further mediation” as according to the Magistrate Court.
Kasi Voice News reached out to criminal law experts, who weighed in on Phukuntsi’s theft case that it could be resolved through mediation.
According to Justice and Constitutional Development department’s civil law, mediation is a process by which a mediator assists the parties in actual litigation to resolve the dispute by facilitating discussions between the parties, assisting them in identifying issues, clarifying priorities and exploring areas of compromise.
Through questions sent to Judges Matter, the judicial organisation further explained that, what mediation was in relation to a criminal case, is when “the complainant and the accused person agree that the charge gets withdrawn, usually after an apology by the accused, and sometimes after some form of compensation is paid”.
This means that Phukuntsi might walk free should the complainant come in terms with the troubled mayor to iron out the outstanding matter.
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