#SiamLee murder accused ‘singled out for special treatment’ at Westville Prison

IT was a tense but brief session as the official bail hearing of the man accused of kidnapping and murdering Siam Lee continued at the Durban Magistrate’s Court yesterday (Thursday, 19 April).

This, as state prosecutor, Surekha Marimuthu alluded to a ‘special relationship’ between the accused and an official at the Westville Prison during her cross-examination on Thursday.

It was alleged the official had given the accused special treatment during his incarceration at the prison.

The 29-year-old man, who was once again smartly dressed a navy blue suit, vehemently denied the allegations.

“I don’t know him and he doesn’t know me,” he said.

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Marimuthu’s line of questioning follows the testimony given by the accused on Tuesday – after the state introduced an affidavit which claims the accused refused to accompany an investigating officer to Johannesburg where he would have been questioned on the new raft of fraud cases which had also been brought to light on Tuesday.

The accused claimed the official intervened as neither he nor his legal team had been made aware of the transport arrangements.

In his testimony the accused said the official had escorted him to his cell, contacted his legal team and even packed him lunch and a jersey.

By the time they had consulted with his legal team and collected his belongings he said the officer had left.

The Assagay resident also admitted that he had been placed in protective custody – along with ‘hundreds of other prisoners’.

He told the court on Thursday that he had made the application for protective custody, which had been approved by management, because of the alleged abuse he suffered while being kept at the Durban North Police Station.

ALSO READ: Full story: Siam Lee accused claims sabotage, torture and coercion

Magistrate Mohamed Motala seemed perturbed by the alleged special treatment and said, “I have attended many, many bail applications, but I am yet to see a prisoner that is as well treated as you. From your own evidence it would seem that this official has taken a special interest in you.”

The accused, who is a self-proclaimed businessman, also faces charges of rape, murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, pointing a firearm, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, intimidation, two charges of crimen injuria as well as two cases of kidnapping. He cannot be named because of the rape charge.

Lee disappeared on January 4 on Margaret Maytom in Durban North, and her burned body was discovered in a sugarcane field in New Hanover two days later.

The bail hearing is set to continue today, Friday, 20 April.

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