A North West ANC MPL who skipped her court appearance, says there is no need for a warrant of arrest to be executed against her.
The Ganyesa magistrate's court issued a warrant of arrest for her last week, suspended until July 8, for failing to appear in court on a charge related to unauthorised use of municipal vehicle and petrol card.
Bitsang Lenkopane is ex-mayor of Kagisano Molopo local municipality and deputy secretary of ANC Women's League in the province. She is accused for refusing to hand over the municipality's vehicle and petrol card during her suspension in July last year.
The municipality suspended her after an investigation into allegations of fraud and corruption against her. Lenkopane was due to appear in court last week but skipped the court date as she was being orientated as a new member of the North West legislature.
Her lawyer Lionel Renoster told Sowetan yesterday that there was no need for a warrant of arrest to be executed against his client. He said Lenkopane would present herself to court on July 8.
MPL Bitsang Lenkopane faces arrest for skipping hearing
A North West ANC MPL who skipped her court appearance, says there is no need for a warrant of arrest to be executed against her.
The Ganyesa magistrate's court issued a warrant of arrest for her last week, suspended until July 8, for failing to appear in court on a charge related to unauthorised use of municipal vehicle and petrol card.
Bitsang Lenkopane is ex-mayor of Kagisano Molopo local municipality and deputy secretary of ANC Women's League in the province. She is accused for refusing to hand over the municipality's vehicle and petrol card during her suspension in July last year.
The municipality suspended her after an investigation into allegations of fraud and corruption against her. Lenkopane was due to appear in court last week but skipped the court date as she was being orientated as a new member of the North West legislature.
Her lawyer Lionel Renoster told Sowetan yesterday that there was no need for a warrant of arrest to be executed against his client. He said Lenkopane would present herself to court on July 8.
"The magistrate said because she is not there he needed to deal with her action and the only way that he could deal with her action was to issue a warrant of arrest on her.
"They should have never charged her in the first place because the only evidence in the docket will disprove that charge. I am going to sit back and listen to the examination and defend my client."
Lenkopane is not new to controversy as she was also convicted last November for assaulting an EFF member in Ganyesa while she was still a mayor. She was fined R5,000.
She was also removed in a vote of no confidence by his own councillors who accused her of fraud and corruption.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe was not available for comment yesterday.