Ukrainian hiker murder: Accused allegedly asked for help to hide bloodied clothes

One of the men accused of stabbing Ukrainian businessman Ivan Ivanov to death while he was hiking near Chapman’s Peak had phoned somebody to ask for help in hiding his bloodied clothes, the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday.

This was revealed during the appearance of two more men on charges of murder and aggravated robbery, after they were arrested on Wednesday.

Magistrate Goolam Bawa ordered that their names and pictures not be published until an identity parade had been completed.

Their arrest follows the appearance of Sinaye Mposelwa, 23, who was the first to be arrested.

He was caught fleeing from the scene, covered in blood and allegedly carrying a backpack containing Ivanov’s possessions.

Bawa also restricted further identification of him.

The court heard that all three men from the Hout Bay area had made admissions regarding the charges of murder and aggravated robbery.

Prosecutor Nicky Konisi submitted that witnesses had noticed the men at the hiking spot.

“A couple of moments later, accused one [Mposelwa], was spotted running with a black backpack,” she stated.

He allegedly gave information linking the other two accused to the fatal stabbing.

She said a witness also took a picture of an accused running away and that the state had information regarding a phone call by one of the accused, asking a friend to hide bloodied clothes.

One of the two men who appeared on Friday also alleged that he had been assaulted during his arrest.

The case was postponed to August 21 and all three will appear for a bail application, which the State intends opposing.

Ivanov, 44, was taking a break in Hout Bay after a business trip and decided to go for a hike on Saturday.

He was robbed and stabbed to death near East Fort, a popular tourist site above Chapman’s Peak Drive, in the morning. He was not far from the start of the trail.

It emerged during court proceedings that Mposelwa had been out on parole at the time of the killing.

A petition by Hout Bay Community Crime Prevention on www.change.org is also lobbying for bail to be denied.

Andrè van Schalkwyk, chairperson of the Table Mountain Safety Action Group, told News24 last Saturday that Ivanov was attacked 10m up the trail, and not far from the car park.

The attack has heightened calls for more patrollers along the popular routes.

In the meantime, a memorial service will be held at the East Fort on August 4. It is expected to be conducted by Orthodox priest Father Nikolaous Giamouridis, assisted by Deacon Michael Samos.

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