The Free State High Court Judge, Pitso Molitsoane, on Tuesday postponed the trial to 3 February 2022. The trial was postponed to allow the defence team of eight accused, including murder mastermind Stanely Bakili, to prepare for arguments in their quest for an acquittal motion in terms of section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act. This Act encompasses the right of an accused to be discharged from the offence he has allegedly committed when, at the close of the State's case, there is no evidence on which the court may link the accused to the charge.

The written heads of argument of the Procedure Act must be submitted by tomorrow and the oral evidence will be led on Thursday. The state prosecutor, Advocate Johan De Nysschen, will then respond to the evidence by the defence team, including amongst others Mphafolane Koma, Mosioa Mazibuko, Dawie Reyneke, Lebohang Mokhele, Joseph Kgoelenya, and Masilo Koenane.  

Advocate De Nysschen on Monday finalised the state’s case against eight men standing trial for the murder of Siemens in the Free State High Court.

State prosecutor Johan de Nyscchen on Monday closed the case without calling another witness as expected.

READ MORE: #PrellerSquareShooting: State closes case in murder trial

Some of the accused, including two policemen, Molebatsi Mogoera and Kagiso Chabane, a military man, Clive Tshivenga, and a repeat offender, Mojalefa Molosi, have been in custody since 2018 and 2019 respectively. Bakili has now been the suspect who has been in custody the longest - since his arrest on 10 May 2018, the day Siemens was murdered in the Preller Square Basement parking lot in broad daylight, by two alleged assassins who shot him four times.

Ten men have been arrested for playing various direct and indirect roles in orchestrating and carrying out the murder. Eight of those arrested are standing trial while the others have turned into state witnesses.

The accused were arrested between May 2018 and January 2019 respectively. They are Stanley Bakili, Mogoera Molebatsi, Kagiso Chabane, Mojalefa Jali Molusi, Moeketsi Lesia, Karabo Tau, Sizwe Mpati, and Clive Tshivenga.

The ninth man and assassin in the murder, Xolisile Mbebetho, confessed to the crime and was convicted in November 2018 for pulling the trigger that ended Siemens’ life. Mbebetho was sentenced to 22-years in jail by the High Court and, in turn, became the state’s key witness.

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