Diale’s defense attorney provided the court and the date with her medical certificate. A warrant of arrest has been issued against her but will be withheld until the next court appearance. Failure to appear in court will result in the warrant of her arrest being actioned.

The state was ready to proceed with the motion to set a pre-trial date in preparation for trial, however, did not oppose the postponement, as the accused was not present in court. Diale is facing six charges of theft, amounting to approximately R700000, allegedly stolen from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) claimants.

Police reports reveal that Fidelity Funds, a body that oversees the conduct of attorneys, received several complaints from the RAF claimants, whose payments were deposited into Diale's trust account. The claimants alleged that the said money did not reach them, after the payout and henceforth, reported to the police for investigation. Diale was practicing as an attorney, during the alleged commission of the crimes between 2009 and 2011 and was subsequently charged with six counts of theft in June 2021.

The Legal Practice Council has struck her from the roll, preventing her from practicing as an attorney.

Statement supplied.