It was an eventful day in the Roodepoort Magistrates court today (13 October) as the media waited in anticipation for those accused of murdering three people in May 2016 to appear in front of the Magistrate.
Only Marcel and Leroux Steyn made their way up the court stairs from the holding cells. The Magistrate granted the media permission to take pictures of the accused and soon a frenzy of flashes filled the room as the journalists tried to capture the first glimpse of the accused on film.
The murder case, better known as the Krugersdorp Triple Murder case, was to be centralised and postponed in this court hearing, but in a dramatic turn of events, the State requested the Magistrate to explain section 37 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 to Marcel Steyn. The State claimed she had refused to allow the police to take pictures of her face during the identification process.
The Magistrate made reference to a previous case, in which a man refused to have surgery to remove a bullet from his leg because of apparent religious beliefs. The Magistrate continued, saying that the man was taken to hospital and the bullet was removed as it was part of evidence.
The Magistrate also said police are allowed to use reasonable force to get the accused to pose for photos and would still be in line with section 37.
It was then said that Marcel Steyn could face charges of racketeering if she continued to refuse to allow the police to take her picture. If found guilty of racketeering, an accused could face a minimum sentence of life in prison.
Steyn said she understood the section. The case was then postponed to 7 November in the Krugersdorp Magistrates’ Court and was centralised with the other cases.
While leaving the courtroom, Leroux Steyn looked into the public gallery, and smiled and winked at the daughter of Hanle Lategan, one of the victims in the triple murder case.
Read more about the triple murders:
Update: The green Corsa and Hanle
Video: Body fits description of missing woman
Prayer meeting for estate agents and brokers
