- Steven Damon, one of the accused in the murder of farmer Stefan Smit, is expected to contest his confession during his bail application.
- According to his attorney Rhenesia Cloete, it had been “ill advised by his previous attorney”.
- He faces multiple charges alongside Smit’s wife Zurenah and his brother-in-law Derek Sait.
Steven Damon, one of the accused in the murder of Stellenbosch farmer Stefan Smit, will be contesting the confession he made to police as it was, “... ill advised by his previous attorney”, the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday.
His legal aid attorney Rhenesia Cloete objected to yet another request for a postponement in his bail application owing to the unavailability of the investigating officer, who is on sick leave.
He is the only one of the three accused of the murder who remains in custody. Smit’s wife Zurenah and Damon’s brother-in-law Derek Sait are out on bail of R10 000 related to the murder and R5000 for an interlinked gun charge.
Damon, who had not initially applied for bail, was expected to launch his application on Friday after it was postponed two weeks ago.
The State is opposing it, based on the merits of the case as well as a confession he had made.
Cloete said the defence intended to contest Damon’s confession as part of the application.
She also questioned why another officer had not been briefed on the matter, saying the National Prosecuting Authority had “ample opportunity” to do this.
According to the State, another officer would not be as thorough as the current investigating officer owing to the, “... complexity of the matter”.
The application was postponed to 12 April.
Zurenah was arrested days after Damon and former policeman Sait in December last year, a year-and-a-half after wine farmer Stefan was shot dead at Louiesenhof.
The widow, who married Stefan in 2005, and her co-accused face charges of murder, house robbery, illegal firearm and ammunition possession, as well as assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.
Damon and brother-in-law Sait were part of a security team employed by the Smits after the occupation in 2018 of Watergang, owned by the vintner’s family via a trust, which was occupied by backyarders from nearby Kayamandi who renamed it Azania.
The municipality eventually bought the land from the owners at R45 710 000.
Smit, 62, was shot dead on 2 June 2019. Two cellphones and a handbag had been stolen during the ostensible robbery as the couple had dinner at the house with a friend.
Smit was shot multiple times. Zurenah and the visitor had not been harmed.
The assailants are said to have entered the house through an unlocked door.
The State alleges that he was assassinated in a hit made to look like it had been committed by land occupiers.
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