TWO MORE ADDED IN MALCOLM PATHER CASE

TWO more accused have been added to the Malcolm Pather murder case, making the total count of accused seven.

Stacey Lee Hector, Wade van Reenen, Kyle Francis, Igshaan Abrahams and Courtney Nortjie returned to the dock at the Atlantis Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

They were joined by two more accused Paul Solomons and Zainodien Greef who were both arrested on 8 August and made their first appearance two days later.

The court previously heard that Solomons appointed a private lawyer, while Greef will be represented by a legal aid lawyer. 

The two ouens returned to the dock on 13 August for Greef to apply for bail, while the other accused abandoned their bid for bail.

In a twist of events, the court heard that Van Reenen has appointed a private lawyer, attorney Bruce Hendricks, after he previously appointed a legal aid representative.

The court previously heard that the accused are facing Schedule 6 charges of murder in terms of common purpose, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice and now an added charge of theft of a motor vehicle.

This after they allegedly kidnapped Pather, 41, from Durban, after he disappeared on 13 July and it is alleged that he booked an appointment with "sex worker" Hector in Table View. 

His phone was turned off after he left his residence in Richwood, Table View.

However, following the search into his whereabouts, police officials said that Pather's hands were tied behind his back and his body was discovered burned beyond recognition on 14 July in Melkbosstrand at the back of a bakkie that was stolen in Goodwood between 12 July and 13.

According to Daily Voice sources, the bakkie was burned twice and evidence found at the crime scene led to a potential suspect.

The suspect was identified on video footage in possession of Pather’s vehicle, which was later recovered in Mitchells Plain.

The case was postponed to 8 September.