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The businessman accused of killing Durban North sex worker Siam Lee got her contact details from an adult website, the Durban Magistrate's Court heard on Wednesday.
Lee, 20, had advertised her services as "a sensual masseuse" on the website Red Velvet under the alias "Student In Training".
The court heard that the man accused of Lee's murder, Philani Ntuli, allegedly raped another sex worker who also advertised her services on the same website.
She worked as a "sensual masseuse" in Escombe, Pinetown, west of Durban, according to the indictment read in court by prosecutor Surekha Marimuthu.
Ntuli contacted and became acquainted with both Lee and the woman. He then became the woman's client and later became Lee's, according to the indictment.
The court heard that on March 21, 2016, Ntuli allegedly forced the sex worker at gunpoint from Escombe to his residence in Hillcrest, where he held her captive.
Kidnapped, held captive and murdered
He then allegedly raped her. He allegedly also called her a "white racist cunt". Ntuli also allegedly robbed the women of her two cellphones.
The court heard that around January 4 this year, Lee "no longer wished to have any contact" with Ntuli.
"As a result of her conduct, the accused decided to kill the deceased," said Marimuthu.
He then went to her workplace in Durban North where he allegedly kidnapped her.
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"The accused held the deceased captive at his residence until about midnight on Friday, 5 January 2018, when he decided it was time to kill her," Marimuthu said.
He then allegedly forced her back into the car he drove and "set out for the New Hanover area in possession of inter alia petrol".
90% burns
"On arrival in the vicinity of the Smidtshoek Farm, New Hanover, in the early hours of January 6, 2018, the accused removed the deceased from the vehicle, threw her into a sugarcane field, doused her with petrol and set her alight," said Marimuthu.
Lee died at the scene and her burnt remains were discovered later that day, according to the indictment.
The post-mortem revealed the cause of death as a haemorrhage from head injuries, as well as 90% burns with charring of tissues, the court heard.
The court also heard how Ntuli abused his ex-fiancée Lucky Mthembu.
Their relationship began in February 2014 and when they were engaged to be married Mthembu had moved into Ntuli's house.
The court heard that as their relationship progressed, Ntuli allegedly became abusive towards Mthembu "both physically and emotionally".
He had also allegedly assaulted her on June 6, 2015, "by punching and strangling her with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm".
Mthembu sustained a broken ankle among other injuries due to the force of the attack.
Mthembu ended their engagement and relationship in June 2015.
In February 2017, Ntuli allegedly created a website and placed a newspaper advert "as a play to threaten, force and intimidate" Mthembu to return a spear and a pot he had bought her as part of her lobola gifts.
He allegedly placed Mthembu's pictures on both the website and the advert. The contents of the website and advert were "designed to insult and demean Mthembu by portraying her as a woman of ill repute and low moral standards and intentions".
"Due to the continued conduct of the accused, Mthembu successfully obtained a protection order against him in December 2017," said Marimuthu.Ntuli, who is out on R40 000 bail, will now appear in the High Court in Durban on March 11, 2019.
