A 36-year-old man appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate Court in connection with the murder of Matwetwe star Sibusiso Khwinana on Monday morning.
Defence lawyer Riaan Du Plessis requested court not to grant an order for the media to be allowed to take photographs or video footage at this stage of the trial, as the accused had not yet gone through an ID parade.
The court granted the defence their request and has not allowed any photos or videos to be taken at the hearing. Those with cameras were instructed to leave the court.
READ MORE: One suspect arrested as funeral of slain Matwetwe actor gets underway
The court also ordered that the name of Khwinana’s alleged killer not be publicised until the ID parade was conducted.
The accused, a Swahili-speaking man, stands in the docket. He has short, thick dreadlocks. A bail application has not yet been brought at this stage, as further investigations need to be done.
The matter was remanded to May 17, 2019, pending further investigations.
A 36-year-old man is to appear before the Pretoria Magistrates Court in connection with the murder of #Matwetwe star Sibusiso Khwinana. @TheCitizen_News
— Rorisang Kgosana (@therealrorisang) March 11, 2019
Defence lawyer Riaan Du Plessis requests court not to grant order for media to take photographs or video footage at this stage as the #Matwetwe accused has not gone through an ID parade. #SibusisoKhwinana @TheCitizen_News
— Rorisang Kgosana (@therealrorisang) March 11, 2019
The court has not allowed any photos or videos to be taken at the #Matwetwe murder accused hearing. Cameras are instructed to leave the court. @TheCitizen_News
— Rorisang Kgosana (@therealrorisang) March 11, 2019
#matwetwe The court has ordered that the name of #SibusisoKhwinana's alleged killer also not be publicised until the ID parade is conducted. @TheCitizen_News @skhwinana @KagisoLediga
— Rorisang Kgosana (@therealrorisang) March 11, 2019
The accused, a Swahili speaking man, stands in the docket. He has short thick dreadlocks. A bail application would not be brought at this stage as further investigations need to be done. #matwetwe @TheCitizen_News @skhwinana
— Rorisang Kgosana (@therealrorisang) March 11, 2019
#Matwetwe The matter is remanded to 17 May 2019 for further investigations. @TheCitizen_News
— Rorisang Kgosana (@therealrorisang) March 11, 2019
Police last week said they were hot on the heels of Khwinana’s killers, saying three of the men involved had been identified and would soon be arrested.
The slain 25-year-old Soshanguve actor was remembered in a sombre yet celebratory memorial service in Soshanguve last week. The tributes were emotional, with many remembering him as a humble, respectable, and inspiring individual.
READ MORE: PICS: Slain ‘Matwetwe’ star remembered at service as cops hunt killers
Khwinana, who played the leading role of Lefa in the popular film, lost his life at the beginning of March when he was stabbed to death outside a cinema in Sunnyside. He was waiting for an Uber taxi with co-star Tebatso Mashishi when they were accosted.
The young film star and father of a four-year-old daughter was stabbed to death while wrestling with the attackers for his cellphone.