Durban - The State has this week begun leading its evidence against the three suspects accused of kinapping, robbing and murdering Rodney and Dr Rachel Saunders in 2018.
The couple, who held dual citizenship to the United Kingdom and South Africa, were botanists filming a documentary for BBC before they were last seen.
Sayefundeen Aslam Del Vecchio, 39, Bibi Fatima Patel, 28, and Mussa Ahmed Jackson, 35, stand trial at the Durban High Court.
After experiencing almost a week filled with delays, NPA spokesperson in KZN Natasha Ramkissoon-Kara said the trial is “steady underway”.
“The state has led evidence on the charge of malicious injury to property where Del Vecchio is solely charged.
“Now the state has started with evidence in the case against all three - regarding the Saunders couple,” she said.
Prior to the state leading its evidence, Del Vecchio, his wife Patel, and Jackson, a Malawian national, became disruptive in court and accused presiding Judge Sharmaine Balton of violating their constitutional rights.
The three accused requested a “trial within a trial” and disputed the state’s evidence against them. But Judge Balton told them that evidence was not yet presented and that the law had to take its place.
“The accused became disruptive, accused the judge of violating their constitutional rights, insisted that the matter commence with a trial within a trial and that the judge not hear any other evidence first.
“When the judge began to explain that this was not procedural, accused two (Patel) turned around and addressed the media in the court, and thereafter, all three accused left the court,” Ramkissoon-Kara said.
The NPA spokesperson stressed that the state was ready to proceed with the case, but the defence kept requesting an extension to confer with the accused. The trial was initially set to run from May 16 until June 17.
Del Vecchio, Patel and Jackson pleaded not guilty on charges of robbery, kidnapping and murder.
The state claims that they killed Rachel and Rodney Saunders at or near the Ngoye forest area in the magisterial district of Eshowe between February 10 and 15, 2018.
Del Vecchio is also charged with malicious damage to property for his alleged involvement in the burning of a sugar cane field which caused damages of around R2 million.
IOL