Police have yet to reveal how Zarah was murdered, as Constable Noloyiso Rwexana said on Tuesday that the investigation was at a “sensitive stage”
Ronaldo van Rooyen and Tafiq Ibrahim, both in their 20s, appeared at the Blue Down Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where they were charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice.
Killers: Ronaldo van Rooyen and Tafiq Ibrahim appeared in court charged with the murder of Zarah Hector
These are the two killers accused of brutally killing Cape Town woman Zarah Hector and disposing of her body
The two were arrested over the weekend, just hours after Zarah’s remains were found on a farm in the Groote Drakenstein area near Paarl on Thursday.
The 33-year-old mom of two went missing on March 14 from her work place at the Oostenberg Lodge in Kuils River.
She was last seen driving her boyfriend’s silver BMW Z3.
The car was found stripped and abandoned in Observatory just days later.
On Tuesday, State prosecutor Vincent Adriaanse revealed accused number one, Van Rooyen, was facing a separate charge of armed robbery.
“We just received that docket [yesterday] morning and we still need time to go through it,” he explained.
“At this stage the State will request a seven-day remand so that we can obtain bail information on both accused.
“The State will be opposing bail for the both of them.”
The duo stood staring straight ahead during the brief appearance before Magistrate Vincent Keyte.
Van Rooyen requested to be represented by a Legal Aid lawyer, while Ibrahim has appointed a private lawyer.
Family of the accused as well as the deceased packed the small courtroom, hoping to find answers into Zarah’s mysterious disappearance and death.
As Ibrahim got up to leave the dock, clutching a Qur’an, members of his family burst into tears and comforted each other.
Magistrate Keyte postponed the matter to April 6 for bail information.
Police have yet to reveal how Zarah was murdered, as Constable Noloyiso Rwexana said on Tuesday that the investigation was at a “sensitive stage”.
Zarah’s brother, Brendan Hector, said that the family went to the morgue after court to view her body.
“We actually didn’t see her – we were advised not to,” he said.
Zarah had been identified through fingerprinting and the family accepted that, he said.
“We were at court and saw the suspects but we did not recognise them, we don’t know them.
“But all we can say at this point is that justice needs to take it’s course,” he added.
http://iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/pair-charged-with-the-murder-of-zarah-hector-2002621
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