Staff Reporter.
Four men have been convicted for the murder of Heila Kilian in the George Circuit High Court.
Kilian was the mother of former rugby player Zane Kilian, currently on trial in connection with the murder of police investigator Charl Kinnear.
Sakhumzi Benya, Nkoshihethu Nocuza, Msomi Nikani and Monwabisi Maki have been found guilty on charges of murder, aggravated robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
There had initially been five men but the fifth co-accused, Xolusani Myoyi, was acquitted of all charges while the remaining four were acquitted of malicious damage to property.
The State said that Kilian had been visiting family on a farm in Stilbaai where David and Brenda Thomas lived. They were having a braai with Shaun Vorster and his wife when the armed men arrived.
The State believes that the men had intended to commit a robbery. When they arrived they stabbed and beat the Thomases and their guests, they then tied up and shot Kilian through the heart.
They took valuable items of jewellery that belonged to Brenda Thomas and later demanded that Vorster take them to his cottage and show them where he had stored cash and firearms, which the perpetrators also stole.
They then fled in a white Toyota Hilux bakkie that belonged to the Thomases.
The four men denied that they had even been at the farm and that they knew anything about the robbery and the murders.
During the trial, State prosecutor Christenus van der Vijver said that there was enough evidence to prove that the murder was planned and their evidence corroborated the state’s case.
Sentencing procedures to be heard by Judge Lister Nuku is expected to take place early next year.
Meanwhile alleged underworld figure, Nafiz Modack, and his co-accused will stay behind bars for the December holidays after the State reopened the case to file another affidavit to support its plea that they not be granted bail.
Modack, Zane Kilian, Jacques Cronje, Ricardo Morgan and Ashley Tabisher face serious charges – at their centre of which are the attempted murder of Anti-Gun Unit detective Charl Kinnear, his eventual murder on 18 September 2020, the attempted murder of lawyer William Booth, and the kidnapping and extortion of a financier.