Cape Town - The State is ready to proceed and a pre-trial date has been set for the
three men accused of murdering of City lawyer Pete Mihalik, on October 30, 2018.
The pre-trial conference will take place on November 29, in the Western Cape High Court, at which the State and defence will make sure all relevant documents pertaining to the case are in order and there are no glitches when the trial finally commences.
The State will call 26 witnesses to the stand, to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Sizwe Biyela, Nkosinathi Khumalo and Vuyile Maliti planned the murder of Mihalik, while he was dropping off his children, near Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard School, in Green Point.
The trio face charges of murder, attempted murder and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Last month they were denied bail after Magistrate Greg Jacobs found that there exist prima facie evidence that there was a well organised and meticulous plan to kill Mihalik.
According to the indictment, the three accused, accompanied by a fourth person whose identity is not known to the State, dropped Biyela off at the corner of Thornhill and Cavalcade Roads on the morning of October 30, 2018, a few minutes before Mihalik arrived in his vehicle, accompanied by his two children.
The State alleges when Mihalik stopped in order for his daughter to alight from his vehicle, Biyela approached the vehicle on foot and quickly fired two shots at the deceased’s head. Mihalik was hit in the head and declared dead on the scene. His young son was also injured.
Biyela was arrested later on the same day, in Bellville, at a bus depot - ready to board a bus to leave the province. Evidence presented by the State during their bail applications indicates that Biyela and Khumalo implicates Maliti as the person who allegedly had organised the hit and made arrangements for its successful execution.
All three have indicated in their affidavits that they intend pleading not guilty to the charges.
@TheCapeArgus