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Pig farmer Zachariah Olivier and his co-accused Rudolf De Wet and William Musora in court.
The murder trial against three men accused of disposing the remains of two women inside a pigsty at a farm in Sebayeng has been set for trial in August in the High Court in Polokwane, Limpopo.
Pig farmer Zacharia Olivier, farm employees Rudolf De Wet and Zimbabwean national William Musora, appeared in the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
They face charges of murder and attempted murder following the discovery of the decomposed remains of Maria Makgato and Kudzai Ndlovu at the farm in August last year.
The trio made a brief appearance before the court.
Olivier appeared alone during the last court session as the two other co-accused had opted not to proceed with bail.
The matter is now ready for trial which is expected to run between 4th and 15th of August.
“The matter has been transferred to the Polokwane High Court in terms of section 75 of subsection 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act. It allows us to take the matter from the lower court to the high court so they are going to be tried there,” explains Mashudu Malabi-Dhzangi, the Limpopo NPA spokesperson.
The state has indicated that investigations have been finalised.
The defense representing William Musora and Rudolf De Wet is preparing itself for trial.
“The defense has received a detailed list of candidates that will be utilised by the state during the trial period. We will obviously now make our application since the state has now indicated that investigations have been finalised. We will make our applications for the disclosure of the docket whereas afterwards we will consult and prepare ourselves for the trial which starts in August,” says Muhamad Farouk Valjee, the defense attorney.
Members of different organisations, including the African National Congress (ANC), filled the gallery in support of the families of the two deceased women.
The trio remains in custody.
