The man, whose name is known to Sowetan but cannot be revealed because he has not yet appeared in court, went berserk at his lawyer's Pretoria offices and smashed windows and computers.

He accused his lawyer, Moepi Maubane, of "throwing his case away".

Maubane yesterday said the man had wanted to sue Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

"In 2010 the man claimed he had been wrongfully detained and assaulted by the police and asked me to help him sue the police minister for that," Maubane said. "I agreed and, based on what he said at the time, told him that he had a good case."

Maubane said the lawsuit was going well until last week when he asked the man to call the people who saw the police assaulting him.

"One of the witnesses, who happened to be his girlfriend, gave us a completely different story. The woman said the day her boyfriend was arrested she had been the one who called the police after the man assaulted her," Maubane said.

"She said when the police came, they only arrested her boyfriend and she did not see them beating him."

He said the man also failed to bring a second witness, whom he said he was unable to locate.

"Because of these reasons I told the man there was no way we could continue with the case and that was when he went bananas. He smashed all our computers and windows, accusing me of having failed him."

Maubane said damages were estimated at R20,000.

"My family is living in fear because the man knows where I stay and promised me that he was not finished me. He vowed to fight to the bitter end."

Maubane has reported the case to the police.

The police said the man had not been arrested yet but investigations were under way.

- alfredm@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Wed May 22 07:36:53 SAST 2013 ::

May 28, 2012

Pointman

He must have been dreaming of how he was going to spend all the money he got from the police - now nothing. The minister is not an ATM.
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May 28, 2012

sakhomba

Nyaop3 ya Sunnyside is much stronger that anywhere else in Tshwane.
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May 28, 2012

QueenTT

I agree with you Pointman...
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May 28, 2012

tpaz

Lawyer promised him lies. The lawyers just wanted consultation fees, he knew the man did not have a cause from the start. It took 2 years for the lawyer to ask for witnesses?

The man should finish off the lawyer-crooks
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May 28, 2012

tumzangwana

sounds like this guy's picnic basket is short of of one banana.
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May 28, 2012

Mojalefa101

He went there to sue and now he will be facing charges against him how sad.
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May 28, 2012

oldlady5

Ja well, now he just showed exactly what his aggressive side looks like, so who'd believe him now?
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May 28, 2012

TKay

He must get another lawyer if he not happy with the present one and stop behaving like a spoilt brat - eish batho barata easy money maan
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May 28, 2012

mmasello

i can smell something..these men know each ada..moepi maubane..marapyane story...
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May 28, 2012

MsKinkyakaKamaSutra

I find the whole case strange

The incident happened in 2010 but the lawyer is only requesting witness' statements now. That should have been his first point of call.........


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