The Folly of Self Defence
Robert Charles de Bruin along with others has been found guilty of importing ecstasy with a "street value of $12 million". He was caught importing 36,000 pills valued at $2 million (each pill retailing for $55) found in a customs seizure, earlier discharged at earlier trials. The drug was hidden in furniture imported from Zimbabwe.
The prosecution asked the jury to consider that the method of importation was also used in six earlier similar shipments.
De Bruin's conducted his own colourful defence with a dramatic story of gun running for the white minority government of Ian Smith as the source of a large quantity of cash, namely $443,000 in used $20 used in paying for a house.
Choosing to represent himself has cost the man dearly as the jury were asked to infer that the earlier shipments of furniture also contained drugs from figures written in his diary to the cash paid for the house.
Although it is a choice that an accused person may make, it is often not wise to forgo a proper defence. Taking it into one own hands brings with it the stress of being accused and it certainly sounds this way as the Crown cast doubts on De Bruin's character by getting ex-wives to testify that he had not been in the army.
See : STUFF : NATIONAL NEWS - STORY : New Zealand's leading news and information website
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