Suspended police captain Esmerelda Bailey appeared on corruption and other charges in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court.
|||Suspended police captain Esmerelda Bailey appeared on corruption and other charges in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
Bailey, 43, was arrested last year in a police trap, and faces charges of corruption and the illegal sale of police uniforms and ammunition.
She appeared before Magistrate Jasthree Steyn, who transferred her case to the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court.
She was warned to appear there on April 5, before Magistrate Amrith Chabillal.
With her in the dock was co-accused Waleed Hendricks, 25, who allegedly bought the stolen police uniforms and ammunition from her.
At Thursday's proceedings, the court granted a separation of trials at the request of commercial crime prosecutor Xolile Jonas.
Jonas told the court Hendricks would go on trial in the Cape Town Regional Court. He said the Western Cape Directorate for Public Prosecutions had instructed that all cases involving police officials charged with corruption had to be dealt with by the commercial crime court.
Defence attorney William Booth said he had not expected the request for a separation of trials. He said the commercial crime court was swamped, with only one magistrate available.
Hendricks would be back in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on March 26. - Sapa