BELFAST-BORN priest Fr Kieran Creagh, who was wounded by thieves in South Africa last year, has expressed frustration that the trial of the men charged with shooting him was again adjourned yesterday.
Godfrey Phatlane and Edward Lesuif have been charged with the attempted murder of Fr Creagh on February 28th, 2007. He was shot several times when thieves broke into the hospice he set up in Attridgeville township near Pretoria. The case has been adjourned on a number of occasions and yesterday it was adjourned because a medical witness was not available.
The doctor who had operated on him after the shooting could not give evidence because he had been called into surgery.
The case was also adjourned last month because a key witness failed to show up.
The witness, a former security guard, later attended the court and identified the men he saw on the night of the robbery.
The case was adjourned in November when the defendants dismissed their lawyers.
Yesterday the case was adjourned until June 9th. Fr Creagh said he was "very disappointed" with the continued delays. "A lot of people are getting fed up and there's talk of holding a mass protest before the next hearing," he said.
The Passionist priest has been recognised internationally for his work with victims of HIV/Aids.
