Siam Lee murder accused behind bars until bail hearing resumes next month
The man accused of kidnapping and murdering Durban North woman, Siam Lee will remain behind bars until he returns to court next month.
The 29-year-old's bail hearing is expected to continue on the 17th of April, two days after what would have been Lee's 21st birthday.
He tried to convince the Durban Magistrate's Court this week that he should be given bail.
Lee's mother, Carmen Nan Lee broke down at the court house.
He tried to convince the Durban Magistrate's Court this week that he should be given bail.
Lee's mother, Carmen Nan Lee broke down at the court house.
Speaking to Newswatch after the bail hearing was adjourned, she said she is battling to come to terms with her daughter's death.
Lee went missing from Margaret Maytom Avenue in early January. Her badly burnt body was found on a farm in New Hanover in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands two days later.
Meanwhile, three months before Lee's case hit the headlines, authorities were already investigating the man accused of her murder.
Authorities in Gauteng received a complaint about a "hazardous oily substance" in a storm water drain near the young businessman's Westonaria-based diesel processing plan in October.
A month later, another complaint was received. This time for a bad odour emanating from the same premises.
A series of events saw local police and eventually the Department of Environmental Affairs becoming involved.
An affidavit deposed by the inspector tasked with investigating the matter was handed up during proceedings yesterday.
Aside from explaining the environmental charges that the State says the accused will soon have to answer to, the inspector also details her interactions with him.
She paints a picture of an uncooperative and "arrogant" man.
The inspector secured a search warrant in early November, but when she arrived at the premises, the accused was not there.
“I personally contacted (him) on his cellphone. When I informed him about the search warrant, he told me that we are taking chances, we don’t have any rights to be at his premises, he knows his rights and that we are allowing the white racist to use us,” she said.
She says she was able to execute the search warrant in the accused’s absence, but obtaining a warning statement proved more difficult.
The inspector says he refused to take her calls and ignored her Emails.
It was only when she learnt that he had been arrested for Lee’s murder that she managed to track him down.
Even then, he was “not cooperative” she said.
“He was arrogant. He told me that he is educated, he knows the law more than I do. He refused to give in his warning statement and told me that I am harassing him. He informed me that he will lay charges against me,” she said.
She said it was only after his then lawyer spoke to him, that he agreed to sign the warning statement.
Authorities in Gauteng received a complaint about a "hazardous oily substance" in a storm water drain near the young businessman's Westonaria-based diesel processing plan in October.
A month later, another complaint was received. This time for a bad odour emanating from the same premises.
A series of events saw local police and eventually the Department of Environmental Affairs becoming involved.
An affidavit deposed by the inspector tasked with investigating the matter was handed up during proceedings yesterday.
Aside from explaining the environmental charges that the State says the accused will soon have to answer to, the inspector also details her interactions with him.
She paints a picture of an uncooperative and "arrogant" man.
The inspector secured a search warrant in early November, but when she arrived at the premises, the accused was not there.
“I personally contacted (him) on his cellphone. When I informed him about the search warrant, he told me that we are taking chances, we don’t have any rights to be at his premises, he knows his rights and that we are allowing the white racist to use us,” she said.
She says she was able to execute the search warrant in the accused’s absence, but obtaining a warning statement proved more difficult.
The inspector says he refused to take her calls and ignored her Emails.
It was only when she learnt that he had been arrested for Lee’s murder that she managed to track him down.
Even then, he was “not cooperative” she said.
“He was arrogant. He told me that he is educated, he knows the law more than I do. He refused to give in his warning statement and told me that I am harassing him. He informed me that he will lay charges against me,” she said.
She said it was only after his then lawyer spoke to him, that he agreed to sign the warning statement.
The accused refutes the inspector's allegations and deems her statement “lies."