Sea judge elected and other brief reports...

* The Khampepe Commission into the mandate and location of the Scorpions had received 40 submissions by the cut-off date last Friday. However, the commission’s head, Judge Sisi Khampepe, said other institutions had requested an extension to make their submissions. Khampepe said she would deal with each case on its merits. Submissions were received from key bodies such as the police, the Public Protector, the National Prosecuting Authority and the National Intelligence Agency. – Business Day * A nurse accused of injecting her stepson with HIV-contaminated blood in January last year appeared in the Mhala Regional Court yesterday, Limpopo police said. The 33-year-old woman faces a charge of attempted murder. Her trial continues today. – IoL * Acting Judge Eric Dunn yesterday granted environmental lobby group Biowatch leave to appeal against his order that they pay the legal costs of seed company Monsanto, which joined government in opposing Biowatch’s efforts to obtain details of genetically modified crops grown in SA. Dunn ruled in February that Biowatch foot Monsanto’s legal bills. – Business Day * As from July 1, the taxi sector determination will become law, the Labour Department said yesterday. The determination is at a national single level wage of R1 350 for drivers and administrative staff. Rand marshals will get R1 080, while fare collectors and cleaners will be paid R945. – Business Day * The Thabamoopo Magistrates’ Court in Limpopo has released a 53-year-old woman, arrested for conducting illegal abortions, on R1 000 bail. She was not asked to plead. The case has been postponed to July 25 for further investigation. – SABC News * A US court yesterday jailed 80-year-old former Ku Klux Klan leader Edgar Ray Killen for 60 years over the killings of three civil rights activists in 1964. The former Baptist preacher was the only person to face murder charges over the deaths. The prosecution changed the charges to manslaughter after the jury could not agree a verdict for murder. Killen pleaded not guilty and he showed little emotion as Judge Marcus Gordon proclaimed the sentence. – Business Day * The fraud trial of Maureen Clifford and her co-accused has been postponed in the Port Elizabeth High Court to July 20. – The Herald * Kwaito star Tokollo Tshabalala has appeared briefly in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court where he is fighting an order to extradite him to Botswana. He is facing a charge of culpable homicide in that country in connection with a car accident in which a businesswoman was killed. The matter was postponed to July 12. – IoL