Lee murder accused laughs at charges

TEMPERS flared over three days in the Durban Magistrate’s Court in the bail hearing of the man accused of murdering Durban North woman Siam Lee, 20.

Lee, who would have celebrated her 21st birthday last Sunday, was abducted from an alleged Durban North brothel on January 4. Her charred body was discovered on a farm in New Hanover in the Natal Midlands two days later.

The accused Assagay businessman faces a raft of charges. These include the murder and kidnapping of Lee and the rape of another woman. Police are also investigating a number of cases of alleged fraud.

Dressed in a blue suit on Friday, the accused stood in the dock and laughed out loud when the state alleged that Lee had been murdered in the his Assagay home.

Some members of his family sitting in the gallery also giggled.

Lee’s mother, Carmen Nan, sat in the gallery, shaking her head in disbelief.

At another point in the hearing the accused was told by Magistrate Mohamed Motala to “stop shouting and screaming at the prosecutor” when responding to questions.

Over the three days, state prosecutor Sureka Marimuthu grilled the accused about his business dealings, his home, his employees, which included his mother and uncle and about the day of his arrest.

Responding, the accused said: “Go ahead with your propaganda, I don’t know how far you’ll get with this case,” he said.

Laughing at this, Motala said the bail hearing would go on for three years if the accused continued responding with lengthy answers.

So far no details pertaining to Lee’s murder and abduction have emerged in court.

However, the court heard that the black Mercedes which the accused allegedly had been driving on the day of Lee’s disappearance, had been fraudulently purchased.

Marimuthu said a case had been opened by Absa Bank because fraudulent documents had been presented for the financing of the vehicle.

It was alleged that the vehicle was purchased by the accused’s uncle, using salary slips from a company owned by the accused.

The bail hearing was adjourned to May 9, 10 and 11.

The accused will continue to remain behind bars at the Westville Prison where, as the court has heard, he is allegedly receiving “special treatment” from an official who placed him into protective custody.

People following the case #Justiceforsiam on Facebook have expressed concern at repeated adjournments. The group has more than 4 500 followers.

One person on the group, Stephen Erasmus, commented:“i have a feeling this case will go the same way as the Odette Barkhuizen case. Three years and still no justice for her. I wish the justice system would stop it’s dilly dallying and get on with it.”

Another, Nicky Gray, said: “Maybe the State’s case is not airtight yet? Maybe that is why they are stalling. We cannot afford any errors here. There must be justice.”