Attorney Elna de Jager maintained her composure for the majority of her testimony in the Free State High Court on Thursday but became emotional as she told Judge Pitso Molitsoane that, had she known Siemens would die, she would have advised him differently and referred him to legit law enforcement officials for assistance following his revelation regarding his sour deal and relationship with accused number one, Stanley Bakili. 

It has been revealed during proceedings that Siemens, who knew De Jager as a fellow parent at Sentraal High School, approached her on Monday 7 May 2018 - three days before his death - seeking counsel on money owed to him by Bakili. De Jager says she advised Siemens to send a notice to said person regarding the money owed to him. She further testifies Siemens received a phone call from a so-called “Hawks official” while they were meeting inside the deceased’s vehicle which was parked at the Sentraal High School grounds the same week. Siemens allegedly placed the call on speakerphone as the would-be official directed Siemens to contact Bakili and put a statement together regarding the money deal. Prosecutor, Johan de Nysschen confirms there was no such Hawks investigation at the time.

Siemens allegedly informed De Jager that Bakili had come to the CityMed offices with a gun tucked away in the back pocket of his pants and proceeded to threaten to kill the then CityMed Managing Director, should he not give him more money. De Jager says she repeatedly told the deceased to go to the police, but he refused, saying “police are involved in this”.

Siemens’ wife Marié was present during the court proceedings as De Jager briefly broke down in tears, telling Bakili’s legal counsel, Masilo Koenane, that had she known how trapped Siemens was she could have tried to do more to help. De Jager and Siemens were meant to have a meeting on the statement requested by the alleged Hawks official the day he died. She recounted the WhatsApp messages the businessman sent her the morning of Thursday 10 May 2018. They included screenshots of a deal between Siemens’ Maleba Trading and Services and Bakili for millions of rands.

As already reported, Siemens was shot and killed on 10 May 2018 in the basement parking area of Preller Square Shopping Complex. It is alleged the deceased was paying bribes to government officials through Bakili to have CityMed’s hospital bed licence altered to allow for more beds when the business partnership soured. 

Bakili is joined by Molebatsi Mogoera, Kagiso Chabane, Mojalefa “Jali” Molusi, Moeketsi Lesia, Clive Tshivenga, Karabo Tau, and Sizwe Mpati as the accused in the dock. The men are between the ages of 29 and 56 and include three police officers, a disbarred advocate, an accused in separate double murder cases, and a military man, alleged to have played varying roles in orchestrating Siemens’ murder.

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