File
A Western Cape widow and an alleged hitman were among three people who appeared in court on Friday in connection with the murder of wealthy Stellenbosch wine farmer, Wynand Smit.
He was gunned down at his home in 2019 while having dinner with his wife and a friend.
The National Prosecuting Authority said the pre-trial conference of Smit’s widow Zurenah, alleged hitman Karel Sait and a ‘middleman’, Steven Damon, was postponed to February 2022.
NPA spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said this is for the defence “to take proper instructions from the accused.”
He said the three are facing 14 charges that include murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and three counts of forgery, among others.
Ntabazalila says Zurenah is also accused of forging Smit’s mother’s will removing her children and grandchildren as major beneficiaries.
“She also forged a document which gave her the power of attorney which gave her full control over the management of the deceased’s assets, yields from his pension and an undisclosed number of diamonds in safekeeping in Germany.”
The accused are out on bail of R10 000 and were placed under house arrest.
Sait and Zurenah Smit are also out on an additional bail of R5 000 after firearms and ammunition were found Sait’s house 18 months after the murder.
