Central SA
Siemens murder trial delayed again─── LUCKY NKUYANE 12:46 Thu, 18 May 2023
The long-standing murder trial of Bloemfontein slain businessman and City Med Managing Director, Louis Siemens, has again been postponed.
On Wednesday 17 May 2023, the trial of Siemens who was gunned down in broad daylight at the Preller Square shopping complex's parking lot in Bloemfontein sat after a months-long postponement by the Free State High Court.
ALSO READ: Siemens murder: Long-standing trial back in court
According to the State Prosecutor, Advocate Johan de Nysschen, the trial has been rolled over to 23 May 2023 for its continuation.
It's understood that one of the suspects who is a Bayswater police detective, Molabetsi Mogoera, is yet to secure the services of a new legal representative after his previous lawyer, Lebohang Mokhele, ran into legal issues.
Six men, including murder mastermind and business associate Stanley Bakili, Mogoera, and disbarred attorney, Karabo Tau, stand accused of murder among others. Bakili wants the presiding Judge Pitso Molitsoane to withdraw from the case citing bias. Some of the suspects, including Bakili, were caught by the police in 2018 and have been denied bail on two accusations.
Siemens was shot four times by two hitmen Xolisile Mbebetho, who is already serving a 22-year jail sentence. Another suspected shooter, who is also a repeat offender, Mojalefa Jali Molusi, is among the six in custody. The court has been dealing with the matter since 2019 while the case began in 2018. Some of the suspects, including Bakili, have been incarcerated since the day of the murder on 10 May 2018.
Suspects in the murder of Siemens includes accused Stanley Bakili, Bloemfontein's Bayswater police detective Molebatsi Mogoera, former SANDF member Clive Tshivenga, repeat offender Mojalefa Jali Molosi, disbarred advocate Karabo Tau, and Information Technology specialist Sizwe Mpati.
In March this year, Molitsoane discharged and acquitted two accused in the murder case.
ALSO READ: #PrellerSquareShooting: Two murder suspects discharged
A court orderly, Kagiso Chabane, and police captain, Moeketsi Lesia, were acquitted on all charges against them.
Meanwhile, Molitsoane denied discharging five others, including alleged murder mastermind Bakili, Mogoera, and Tau, among others.
Molitsoane maintains the accused have a case to answer to due to the evidence presented against them. He says although the state's star witness and confessed killer, Xolisile Botha Mbebetho's testimony changed a lot, the fact was limited in the matter.
