Wooden sword wielder back up for bail

THE bail application of a Serbian national accused of threatening a family member with a wooden sword will resume next week. Goran Lepojevic, 50, of Mount Croix in Port Elizabeth, was arrested last month after he allegedly tried to attack his estranged wife's cousin outside their Richmond Hill home. The bail application started in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court last week. However, it was postponed after Lepojevic, who was representing himself, infuriated the state by refusing to answer questions put to him by prosecutor Tobani Jokani. The court halted proceedings and invoked Section 77 1A of the Criminal Procedure Act, which compels an accused to make use of Legal Aid representation. However, yesterday the court heard that Lepojevic had appointed new counsel. He has fired several private lawyers in the past. Lawyer Sebastian Arends confirmed he would appear on Lepojevic's behalf. The matter was accordingly postponed to March 26, when the bail application will resume. Lepojevic faces a separate charge of assault after he allegedly attacked a patron with his wooden sword outside Barney's Tavern in Summerstrand in January. That case is back in court on March 31. While Lepojevic admits to carrying the wooden sword with him at all times "for protection", he denies any wrongdoing. - Kathryn Kimberley