Media now have access to court proceedings in Chinese murder case

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

An order has been made in the Port Elizabeth magistrates court for the Times Media group, inclusive of all other other media houses to be allowed to attend court proceedings in connection with a grisly murder at a Chinese restaurant in Humewood.

The body of 37-year old Zhi Duan Huang has still not been found following the murder inside a Chinese restaurant at Dolphins Leap.

Three suspects have been arrested and the suspected murder weapon, described as a samurai sword, is in the possession of the police.

The Herald's Advocate Marius Swanepoel brought an application on Thursday that media representatives be allowed access to court proceedings, but that the names of the accused not be published as an identity parade is yet to be concluded.

The application follows two incidents where reporters where barred from attending court proceedings.

The Herald's Executive News Editor, Brett Adkins, says it was unacceptable to be denied media access to a court hearing in which there is huge public interest.

"We are very pleased that the order to this effect has now been issued. We feel very strongly, this is not suppose to happen in any court procedure where there is huge public interest. We have open courts which the media are free to cover proceedings unless an order is issued after debate in the public domain, this never happened. We feel very strongly that court procedures must follow these disciplines to the letter, otherwise it undermines our judiciary." says Adkins.

A date to organise a formal bail application for the suspects has yet to be finalised.