Accused 'intimidated by the heavy security presence' as they appear for UK couple's murder in KZN

• The trial for Aslam Del Vecchio, 39, Fatima Patel, 28, and Mussa Ahmed Jackson, 35, has been delayed after the defence asked for more time to consult.
• They are accused of murdering horticulturist couple, Rodney and Dr Rachel May Saunders, in February 2018 in Eshowe.
• Security was beefed up for their appearance.

Moments before the postponement of what was meant to be the first day of their murder trial, Aslam Del Vecchio and Fatima Patel questioned the heavy security presence in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban.

Alongside Mussa Ahmed Jackson, 35, they are accused of murdering popular horticulturist couple, Rodney and Dr Rachel May Saunders, in February 2018 in Eshowe.

Their appearance on Monday before Judge Sharmaine Balton was brief, after the lawyer representing Del Vecchio and Patel, Bulelani Mazomba, asked for more time to consult with his clients.

"Accused one and two feel intimidated by the heavy security presence. They have no problem if security officers are outside the court," Mazomba said moments before the court adjourned.

Balton, however, was not having any of it.

"The security is not just for the two accused but the entire court building. I am not sure what will unfold in the case, but everyone here has raised cause for concern and that is why I rejected TV recordings for the safety and security of the court personnel," she said.

She added:

Del Vecchio and Patel have been in custody since their arrest on 15 February 2018. Jackson has been in custody since 23 March 2018. Previously, they were accused of having links to terror group Islamic State (ISIS).

The Saunders couple had South African and British citizenship. They were allegedly kidnapped near the Bivane Dam in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal on 12 February 2018.

It is understood that the couple ran a Cape Town-based seed company and had been searching for a rare flowering plant.

The alleged kidnapping made news headlines in the UK. Several publications reported that there were fears that the couple had been kidnapped by ISIS.

The couple left Cape Town on 5 February 2018 in their Toyota Land Cruiser to film a video documentary in the northern Free State.

Their last communication was with one of their employees on 8 February 2018, when they indicated that they would camp at the Bivane Dam in KwaZulu-Natal.

Police investigations into their last movements indicated that they left Bivane Dam on 9 February 2018 and moved around in various forests in the area south of the dam.

It was established that on 13 February 2018, Del Vecchio, Patel and Jackson withdrew from various ATMs and made several purchases with an FNB card that belonged to Dr Saunders.

The FNB account of Dr Saunders was linked to her cellphone number. An analysis of the cellphone data confirmed that her phone and Del Vecchio's cellphone were at the same place near the Ngoye Forest at the same time on 10 February 2018.

On 15 February 2018, Del Vecchio and Patel were arrested in Endlovini.

The body of Dr Saunders was recovered on 14 February 2018, from the Tugela River and the body of Rodney Saunders was recovered from the same river on 17 February 2018.

Both sustained blunt force trauma.

Bloodstained trousers that belonged to Del Vecchio were recovered during a search and seizure operation. It was established that the blood belonged to Rodney Saunders.

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