By Thapelo Molefe
The case against a 37-year-old man accused of masterminding the murder of Democratic Alliance (DA) by-election candidate Sinovuyo Dyokwe has been postponed to 3 August after his lawyer alleged he was assaulted while in police custody.
The accused appeared briefly in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of premeditated murder and extortion.
Dyokwe, 48, was shot dead on 20 June in Du Noon while returning home from a voter registration event ahead of a by-election. Police said preliminary investigations indicated she had allegedly been subjected to extortion and forced to pay protection money before she was killed.
The matter was postponed for seven days to allow the accused to undergo a medical assessment in custody after his legal representative alleged he had been assaulted by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The State did not oppose the postponement.
The delay will also allow investigators to compile information relevant to a possible bail application and enable the court to consider an application by media organisations seeking permission to record the proceedings.
The suspect was arrested in Parklands on Saturday during a joint intelligence-driven operation involving Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Investigation detectives and the SAPS Special Task Force.
Police have identified him as the alleged mastermind behind Dyokwe’s murder.
According to police, investigators seized a vehicle believed to have been used in the killing, along with seven cellphones that will form part of the ongoing investigation.
Police spokesperson Colonel André Traut previously said: “It is further alleged that after she refused to continue making these payments, threats were made against her.”
The DA welcomed the arrest and called on the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure a successful prosecution.
“We urge the NPA to build a watertight case to ensure successful prosecution. We will be monitoring the legal process closely and hope that this suspect does not walk out of court and back onto the streets while this case proceeds,” the party said in a statement.
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