Magistrate recuses himself, postpones Pyne’s bail hearing

HEIDELBERG – Jaén-Lee Pyne, the accused in the murder of Etienne du Preez and the attempted murder of Flip Minnaar, appeared in the Heidelberg Magistrate’s Court on January 8.

The court session was scheduled for the formal bail hearing related to the body of Musa Gumede, which was found in a shallow grave in the front yard of a property where Pyne lived at the time of the murder on October 30.

However, the appearance focused on an application to recuse Magistrate Gerhard Strydom. The accused’s lawyer, Thabang Moloi, read a statement presenting the reasons.

Payne believes his rights could be infringed during the bail application and subsequent court proceedings. After a short break, the magistrate delivered his decision on the recusal application.

“It is best for me to step down and let a new magistrate take charge of the formal bail application,” said Strydom.

However, when the trial does get underway, Strydom will preside over it.

“I am not saying I will not be fair, but I want to remove all doubt from anyone’s mind in the process,” he said.

The court postponed the case to February 7 to allow for the appointment of a new magistrate to oversee the bail application proceedings.

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