After countless delays, caused predominantly by the accused’s behaviour in court, the trial has finally begun.
Galinda Nelson, appeared in the Worcester Regional Court before Magistrate Vincent Maseti on Wednesday.
Nelson, who ran a non profit named Cardinal Halyard International which cared for abused children and orphans in Worcester, was arrested on 29 January 2019 after being accused of assaulting two teenagers in her care.
At the time of her arrest 12 children between the ages of two and 16 were in her care.
Media reports suggested that one of Nelson’s victims was chained by the neck for three days while her biological teenager had also suffered abuse.
A horse-whip was also removed from the scene, which was apparently used to assault the children.
Since her court appearances Nelson has pulled many stunts causing the trial to be delayed.
This included locking herself in a bathroom, refusing to be mentally evaluated and opting to defend herself in her trial.
After mental evaluation was done, it was found that Nelson was fit to stand trial.
Yesterday, Nelson once again confirmed that she would conduct her own defence and informed the court that she left some court documents containing particulars of the case at home, as she did not deem it necessary to bring them to court.
According to Eric Ntabazalila, a spokesman for the national prosecuting authority, the state advocate Quinton Oosthuizen then explained to the court the penal provision relating to the charges of child abuse.
Nelson then requested copies of the charge sheet again.
The court instructed that as the accused had no lawyer and that the charges be made available to her again, despite the fact that she had previously received the document.
Once the charge sheet was provided, she asked for time to peruse it. The court granted her request.
The trial eventually ensued with Advocate Oosthuizen calling and leading Captain Pienaar of the Worcester SAPS, and who was the first officer on the scene.
Pienaar testified that a report was received of a minor possibly being chained by the accused at the farm.
This report prompted him to visit the farm. He testified about the living condition and the number of children found at the premises, their general state as well as his interactions with the accused on the night in question.
Pienaar informed the court that he had a previous report about the conditions where children lived and that the incident had been reported to the Department of Social Development.
He also stated that there was a concern that the children who were of school going age had not been attending school, despite the fact that there is a small farm school close by.
Pienaar also testified about the the chain with which the victim was allegedly chained as well as a horse whip. Both were handed in as exhibits.
Ntabazalila said a photo album was handed in as exhibit.
After being led, the accused then proceeded to cross examine Pienaar.
The lengthy cross examination was finalised and the matter is postponed to Thursday for further trial.