Dudu Busani

Dudu Busani

The ruling in the trial-within-a-trial of Judge Nkola Motata will be broadcast live on television.

Magistrate Desmond Nair will rule on the matter in the Johannesburg magistrate's court on Friday.

Nair granted two national television networks permission to broadcast live in court. However, newspaper photographers will not be allowed in, apparently because they will disrupt court proceedings.

Motata has been charged with drunken driving and defeating the ends of justice.

Early last year, the Pretoria high court judge allegedly crashed his Jaguar into the wall of property belonging to businessman Richard Baird.

He was allegedly under the influence of liquor. Baird, who arrived at the scene 30 minutes later, used his cellphone to record conversations between him, Motata, the police and other people on the scene.

In the recordings, Motata is heard swearing at the people and demanding that the police return his car keys.

Baird's pictures and recordings are the subject of the trial- within-a-trial, in which their authenticity is being questioned by Motata's defence.

Closing arguments between the state and Motata's defence were finalised yesterday.

Defence counsel advocate Danie Dorfling had earlier argued that Baird was unreliable, untruthful and had an axe to grind with Motata.

He also accused Baird of not taking proper care of the recordings and pictures though he knew they would be used as evidence in court.