Twist in murder case of local art gallery owner

THE matter against six accused charged with the murder of local art gallery owner Alan Gordon was adjourned to Monday to verify a claim that one of them was a juvenile.

The Durban Magistrate's Court had expected to hear bail applications, but the State said it had just been told that one of the accused was a juvenile.

Gordon was allegedly stabbed, strangled, his body put into his car and driven to the Ndwedwe area, where it had been thrown in some bush and set alight on March 8. In the charge sheet, the accused who was said to be a minor yesterday is reflected as being 18.

State Prosecutor Calvin Govender said in light of one of the accused being a minor, proceedings had to be held in camera and only the parents and relatives of the accused were allowed inside the court.

The other accused, Nkanyiso Mathenjwa, 27, Mnqobi Hoboyi, 18, Siphesihle Vilakazi, 22, Mvelo Hlambisa, 18, and 19-year-old Mluleki Alex Gwala, will not appear alongside the 17-year-old on Monday and another date will be set for that bail hearing to be heard in camera.

The six are also charged with theft of R120 000 from Gordon, all acting with a common purpose.

Gordon, 57, owned Etchings Gallery in Park Boulevard Centre, Durban North, close to his Brown's Drift home.

Greenwood Park police arrested the six men after investigating Gordon's disappearance.

These investigations led police to two men who allegedly lived with Gordon and who gave them information revealing that he had been murdered and his body was in the Ndwedwe area.

Four of the accused were arrested in Inanda and led police to Gordon's body.

It is also alleged that one of the suspects claims that he was in a relationship with Gordon. This suspect handed himself over to police and allegedly had Gordon's cellphone in his possession.

Further investigations while the suspects were in custody saw police being shown the house where Gordon was allegedly killed.

The murder trial is likely to be heard in the Durban High Court.