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Bloem businessman, 2 cops appear in court for hospital CEO's murder

A Bloemfontein businessman and two police officers appeared briefly in the Bloemfontein High Court on Friday for the murder of CityMed Day Hospital CEO Louis Siemens.

They stand accused of murdering Siemens in an alleged hit in the basement of the Preller Square parking lot in Bloemfontein on May 10.

Siemens' business associate, Kibi Stanley Bakili, is accused of ordering the hit on Siemens with the help of the two policemen.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo, the three were due to apply for bail on Friday, but they had new legal representatives who asked for a postponement to familiarise themselves with the case.

The other two accused are Constable Kagiso Chabane and Constable Molebatsi Mogoera. Chabane is reportedly a court orderly, while Mogoera is a detective from the Bayswater Unit in Bloemfontein, according to Ofm.

The man who allegedly carried out the hit, Xolisile Mbebeto, reached a plea bargain with the State and was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Thursday for Siemens' murder, police said.

Ofm reported that Bakili had been linked to the crime via CCTV footage. It also reportedly emerged that he was in contact with Siemens on the day of the murder.

Bakili previously told the court that his family and business were suffering while he was in custody, but then surprised the court by abandoning his bail application in June. According to the Bloemfontein Courant, Bakili told the court that he had met with Siemens shortly before he was killed, and had exchanged text messages with him on the day.

Bakili reportedly said that the two had met on the day of the murder to discuss business, and that he had left Siemens at the shopping centre. When he returned, Bakili reportedly said that he could not enter the centre because authorities were saying there had been a shooting there.

He was arrested shortly thereafter, but maintained his innocence, reportedly saying he was deeply hurt by the news of Siemens' death.

But according to the Bloemfontein police, it emerged during Mbebeto's sentencing that he had met with Bakili at a tavern four days before the murder. He was reportedly promised R200 000 for the job. According to Mbambo, on the day of the murder, Mbebeto went to the car park at Preller Square, and one of the co-accused pulled Siemens from his car. Mbebeto reportedly shot him dead.

The two then went to their hired car and met Kabili at a hotel, where they were given his hotel key and told they could take a bath. That was the last time they had seen him, and Bakili allegedly did not pay them for the job.

The case was postponed to November 19.

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