Siam Lee murder accused exaggerating claims of assault: State
The State believes the man accused of kidnapping and murdering Durban North woman, Siam Lee is exaggerating the alleged assault he was subject to after being arrested.
This emerged in the Durban Magistrate's Court where the man continued his bail application this morning.
He has spent six days on the stand giving evidence in support of his bid for freedom.
When court broke last month, the prosecutor had been quizzing the accused on the assault he claims he suffered at the hands of police and private investigators during his arrest.
The prosecution has continued on the same vein today, pressing him for details.
For the most part, the 29-year-old is sticking to his version, that he was beaten and suffocated with an evidence bag.
He went further today, telling the court he thought he was going to die.
The State says he is exaggerating the alleged assault, to what extent though remains unclear at this stage.
Lee's disappearance grabbed headlines in January, with concerned community members taking to social media to call for her safe return.
NOW READ: Public outcry following Siam Lee's murder
The 20-year-old was last seen outside an alleged brothel in Durban North.
He has spent six days on the stand giving evidence in support of his bid for freedom.
When court broke last month, the prosecutor had been quizzing the accused on the assault he claims he suffered at the hands of police and private investigators during his arrest.
The prosecution has continued on the same vein today, pressing him for details.
For the most part, the 29-year-old is sticking to his version, that he was beaten and suffocated with an evidence bag.
He went further today, telling the court he thought he was going to die.
The State says he is exaggerating the alleged assault, to what extent though remains unclear at this stage.
Lee's disappearance grabbed headlines in January, with concerned community members taking to social media to call for her safe return.
NOW READ: Public outcry following Siam Lee's murder
The 20-year-old was last seen outside an alleged brothel in Durban North.
Her badly burnt body was found several days later on a sugar cane farm near New Hanover in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
The bail application is expected to continue tomorrow. Proceedings were cut short today as a result of an electricity fault affecting the magistrate's court.