Another attorney withdraws from Mooinooi murder case

The eight people accused of the murders of two Mooinooi women appeared in the Brits Magistrates’ Court on Friday for the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) decision, Kormorant reports.

The state is also still waiting for the DPP’s decision.

READ MORE: Police give incorrect DNA results in Mooinooi murder

“Prosecutor Christine Molautsi told the court that the attorney, Pontsho Raikane, had phoned her early on Thursday morning informing her that he had withdrawn from the case. Another attorney and Legal Aid SA withdrew in April.

A new attorney for the 52-year-old so-called mastermind behind the murder of the two women, his 29-year-old son and his 21-year-old wife has been appointed, the three accused told the court. The other five accused will apply for legal aid. It is alleged that the attorneys could not be paid.

The so-called mastermind’s wife, son and his 18-year-old girlfriend at the time, were granted bail in April. The son told Kormorant after the postponement that the girlfriend had broken up with him after they were released on bail.

Joey and Anisha van Niekerk were allegedly kidnapped, raped and murdered by the eight accused on 10 December last year.

During the  bail application of the eight accused over the past five months, the court has heard how the two women were forced at gunpoint to sign a sale agreement, selling the farm to the ‘mastermind’ who had a workshop on their farm in Mooinooi. They were allegedly repeatedly raped and hanged until they died. According to the investigating officer, their bodies were stuffed in dustbins, had acid poured over them and then burnt. The remains were disposed of.

Burnt human bones that were found at a stream on the farm were established to be those of Anisha van Niekerk.

The case was postponed to 18 July 2018 for the DPP’s decision and for the other five accused to apply for legal aid.

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