Zebra Inn ‘killers’ appear

Three suspects, two men and a woman, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday for the murder of Carte Blanche producer and TV presenter Johann Botha, 53, and his friend earlier this month.

Thembi Masethembe Mbatha, 19, Nkosiyazi Phungula, 27, and Ntobeko Hlatswayo, 32, were arrested and charged with two counts of murder, possession of a firearm and robbery earlier this month. The case was postponed last week for the suspects to obtain legal representation.

The trio and a fourth suspect, who is still at large, allegedly accosted Botha and his friend, 73-year-old Werner Perchtold, at the latter’s restaurant, the Zebra Inn, in Jeppestown on the night of June 7. They entered the restaurant and ordered, then pointed guns at Botha and Pertchtold.

It is alleged that Botha was shot dead while pleading with the robbers not to kill Perchtold.

During the court sitting yesterday, Botha’s colleagues at Carte Blanche unsuccessfully applied for the right to film the proceedings. Arguing that the footage would only be used at a later stage, investigative journalist Tony Beamish implored the magistrate to consider that it was in the public interest that his team have the rights to broadcast the proceedings.

Lawyers for the accused argued there was no need to film yesterday’s proceedings as journalists were already present in court, which negated the need for a broadcast.

State prosecutor Adriaan Lamprecht also argued that there was a difference between public interest and media interest and that all parties should have been notified before the application was brought.

Magistrate Nerina Govender ruled that it would not be in the public interest to allow a broadcast until all parties had a chance to respond to the request.One of the witnesses also still had to identify the suspects. The case was remanded to July 7 for a bail application.

It was not in public interest to allow broadcast until all parties had responded to the request. Nerina Govender Magistrate