Relief as murder accused Fernando denied bail
MURDER accused Fernando Isaacs will remain in custody after his bail bid was denied at the Goodwood Magistrate's Court yesterday.
Isaacs, 36, is accused of having murdered Lauren Dryden, 31, by shooting her after robbing her of her cellphone while she waited for an e-hailing taxi service after her night shift.
The matter was postponed to February 4 and was transferred to the Parow Regional Court.
Earlier this week a Legal Aid attorney was appointed to represent Isaacs.
Ward councillor Angus Mckenzie said this was a small victory for the community of Bonteheuwel who rallied outside court, opposing Isaacs' bail application.
“Bonteheuwel has won yet another small battle in our fight for justice for Lauren, against a broken criminal justice system, bad policing, and for all other victims of unpunished crime.
“This is a small relief for the community that has been terrorised by his actions but an important strike for ridding our community of these gangster terrorists,” said Mckenzie.
Meanwhile, rape and murderaccused Steven Fortune is set to appear in the Western Cape High Court this morning where he is expected to plead in terms of S112(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, said National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
Fortune is accused of raping and murdering 12-year-old Michaela Williams after she went missing in Janu
ary. Michaela was playing in front of her New Horizons home with friends before she disappeared.
A frantic search by residents led to the discovery of her lifeless body in Schaapkraal, Philippi. Fortune allegedly showed police where he had dumped her. According to court documents, Michaela was allegedly lured away from her home to a vacant plot just a few kilometres from her home.
“The accused strangled the deceased with his hands. She resisted and knocked his spectacles off his face. He overpowered her and ripped her vest top off her body.
“He used the torn fabric to bind her wrists behind her back. When she tried to scream, he used her own skirt as a ligature to strangle her.
“After the rapes he threw two concrete blocks on to her head. He covered her body with a blanket and left,” court documents read.
Fortune faces a murder charge, two rape charges and a charge of kidnapping.