Alleged Isis affiliates get trial date

A trial date in the matter against three alleged Isis affiliates accused of the 2018 murders of two elderly botanists has been set for 2021. Sayfudeen Aslam Del Vecchio‚ his wife Fatima Patel and their Malawian boarder, Ahmad ‘Bazooka’ Mussa, appeared briefly in the KZN High Court (Durban) where it was decided that their matter would be set down for trial between 18 January and 18 February. A TimesLIVE report notes the trio is charged with the kidnapping and murder of British-born Cape Town botanists Rod and Rachel Saunders in February 2018. They also face charges of theft and counts relating to the contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act. They were arrested after the disappearance of the couple, who had been touring northern KZN in search of rare plants and seeds. Police allege that Del Vecchio planned and executed the killings. The case has recently been plagued with delays with consultation being an issue since Del Vecchio and Mussa were transferred to Ebongweni maximum security prison in Kokstad. Patel remains at Durban's Westville prison. The accused recently acquired the services of renowned Advocate Jimmy Howse after abandoning legal aid but it is not clear who is paying their legal fees.