Four more counts of murder were added to the charges of the so-called ‘triple murder’ case, involving the Steyn family and two close friends.
The five accused, Zak Valentine, Cecilia Johanna Steyn, Le Roux Steyn, Marinda Steyn and Marcel Steyn appeared in a packed Krugersdorp Regional Court on 27 January. They were remanded in custody for a pre-trial appearance on 5 May in the South Gauteng High Court.
Siblings, Marcel and Le Roux, and their mother Marinda Steyn, were initially charged with three murders last year. New charges and two other co-accused were added to the bulky charge sheet.
The names of the seven murder victims on the charge sheet include Peter Nicolls Meyer, Joan Helen Meyer, Jarod Mitchum Jackson, Glen Kidd McGregor, Kevin Mc Alpine, Anthony Scholefield and Hanle Lategan.
Lategan’s distraught husband, Andre attended court proceedings for the first time.
Various charges of racketeering, fraud and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, were also added to the charge sheet.
“No bail is fixed at this stage. The case has been transferred to South Gauteng High Court for 5 May. [I will] order all five suspects to be kept in custody,” said Magistrate Keith Paige.
Marinda informed the court that they were not allowed any visits in jail. She said her “only outside person, Dries Steyn” was not allowed to visit her. “My visits have been taken away for 81 days. I’m not allowed visits. They said Dries Steyn would poison me. I am not suicidal and no one has threatened to poison me,” she told the court.
Paige advised Marinda to discuss the issue with prison authorities. “I can make a request, at least for visitation as it’s your constitutional right. You have to take this up with Correctional Service authorities and inform your legal representative,” said Paige.
