Zarah Hector was still alive on 15 March 2016, a day after she was reported missing.
This was revealed by the mother of one of the accused, Renaldo van Rooyen, 34, in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.
Court was suspended for the day just before lunchtime after Van Rooyen said he felt ill again.
Last Thursday, the matter was postponed twice after Van Rooyen became sick and asked to be taken back to Pollsmoor prison to see a doctor.
Zarah, a mother of two, went missing on 14 March 2016, and her body was found 10 days later, dumped on a farm in Klein Drakenstein.
The Kuils River woman had been bludgeoned to death with a hammer.
Police arrested Van Rooyen, from Kuils River, and Tawfeeq Ebrahim, 26, from Malibu Village.
Prosecutors say they robbed and killed Zarah because she owed them R5 000 in drug money.
They allegedly stole the BMW Z3 Zarah was driving. The car belonged to her boyfriend, Mark, who passed away last year.
A soft-spoken Rachelle van Rooyen testified that she met Tawfeeq for the first time on 14 March 2016, when she saw him in her son’s bedroom.
“He was on Renaldo’s bed and was introduced to me for the first time on that day. I had come from night shift,” the nurse explained.
“The next day, there was a knock on the door. It was Renaldo, Zarah and Tawfeeq. I returned to the kitchen and they followed me there,” said Rachelle.
This means that Zarah was still alive a day after being reported missing.
Rachelle said she knew Zarah for about a year and confirmed her friendship with Renaldo.
“She came here, but not every day. Sometimes even when Renaldo was not here,” said the mother.
ON TRIAL: The accused duo, Renaldo van Rooyen and Tawfeeq Ebrahim. Photo: Noor Slamdien
Next, her husband Attie was to take the stand, but the matter was postponed as Renaldo said he felt ill.
State prosecutor Maria Marshall pointed out that Van Rooyen was sick twice last week and had requested to see a doctor, but never got around to it.
Marshall said the court deserved proof of an illness that was costing the court time.
Judge Lister Nuku then asked Van Rooyen to give his reasons for not going to the doctor previously.
Without saying what was wrong with him, Van Rooyen explained: “I was not feeling well and went to the prison doctor as soon as I got there the first time, but they were closed, so I never got helped.
“The second time I told the section officials and they did not take me. I would really appreciate the court’s assistance in getting me to a doctor.”
Judge Nuku then asked the prosecutor to arrange a letter for Van Rooyen to see a doctor on Wednesday. Court will then reconvene at 11.30am.