SANFE strongly condemns Senior Magistrate's abuse of Witness journalists
1 August 2018
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) strongly condemns the abuse of Witness court reporter, Sharika Regchand by Senior Magistrate, Ashin Singh in Pietermaritzburg. SANEF notes this is part of a pattern of abuse by the Magistrate, of a number of Witness journalists, with particular abuse taking place yesterday.
Yesterday Singh instructed that Regchand be forcibly relocated from the front to the public gallery at the back of a courtroom (where he was not presiding). Later he accosted her as she walked out and swore at her, made lewd accusations and threatening comments about her family.
Over the past few weeks the Witness has enlisted their legal counsel to lodge a complaint against Magistrate Singh with the Magistrates Commission. This relates to his abusive behaviour towards Regchand, another Witness reporter, Kerushun Pillay and news editor, Ingrid Harrison.
Singh has threatened to throw Regchand out of cases he is presiding over, and abused Pillay over stories the Witness has and hasn’t run. He has likewise attacked Harrison over the same issue amid a general attack on the Witness and how they cover stories related to him.