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Murder case at 'sensitive' stage
26/09/2007 11:04 - (SA)
Durban - The initial proceedings against three people arrested after five bodies were found in sugar cane fields on KwaZulu-Natal's south coast, will be heard in camera, the Umzinto Magistrate's Court ruled on Wednesday.
State prosecutor Christelle Rossouw said police still needed to carry out identification parades and that any sight of these men by the public or the media would jeopardise police investigations.
"They (the accused) may say that they were seen in court," she said.
Granting the application, Magistrate Giel van Aarge said investigations were at a sensitive stage and that he was convinced that the public did not want the investigations to be jeopardised.
After the public and press were ordered to leave the small courtroom, Rossouw told the press that there were three - two men and a woman - accused.
Earlier this week, police said they had arrested five people in connection with the badly decomposed bodies that were found in a sugar cane field adjoining Umzinto's Shayamoya township.
Roussow could not say what had become of the remaining two people arrested on Monday in Durban's Chatsworth suburb.
The remand case was expected to be heard later in the day.
Nearly 300 people had gathered outside the court, shouting , singing and protesting.
Some of their banners read; "Bring back the death penalty. Prison is a five-star hotel" and "We are tired of being raped".
There was a heavy police presence and several high profile people including Inkatha Freedom Party member Narend Singh stopped at the courtroom.
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