Advocate Johan Vorster, appearing on behalf of the court orderly, Kagiso Chabane, argues that the evidence linking his client to the murder is only circumstantial. He maintains there is no direct evidence gathered by authorities that indicate that Chabane helped orchestrate the CityMed Managing Director’s murder on 10 May 2018. The legal counsel said this during his cross-examination of Free State crime analyst, Karin Jacobs, in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court today.

Vorster says only three things implicate his client. The first is the hired car. It is alleged the court orderly hired out the car that was used by Bakili and the two other assassins on the day of the murder. Vorster argues why would Chabane hire out a car in his name if he knew that a crime was about to be committed. The second thing is that the court orderly is mentioned in 39-year-old Xolisile Mbebetho’s statement on the matter. Mbebetho, believed to be one of the assassins, pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 22 years in prison by the Free State High Court in early November. He is now the state’s key witness. In the statement, Mbebetho says he, accused number one, Stanley Bakili, and an unnamed court orderly went to the Home Affairs office to obtain documents.  Vorster argues that Mbebetho fails to name accused number three, merely describing what he did for a living in his statement in identifying the policeman.

To this, Prosecutor Johan de Nysschen says Chabane’s story about the vehicle is highly suspect, not to mention that he was not entirely forthcoming when interrogated about his involvement in May.

The legal practitioners are now delivering their closing arguments on the matter.

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