The man suspected of abducting and killing Johannesburg student Leigh Matthews will remain behind bars more than a month after his bail application was postponed indefinitely in the Wynberg Regional Court on Friday.
The case itself was postponed to December 3 for further investigation.
This follows the termination of the services of Donovan Moodley’s lawyer, Louis Weinstein.
Weinstein told the court on Friday that he had withdrawn from the case, but did not give any reasons.
He told reporters after the proceedings that he may give his reasons early next week.
Moodley is now being represented by Jonathan Minnie of Jonathan M Attorneys in Turffontein.
Minnie told the court that the defence was not ready to proceed with the bail application, which was set down for Friday in the court.
He said the defence would maybe be in a position on December 3 to say when it would bring a new bail application.
Minnie told reporters that he had consulted with his client’s father on Monday, and had spoken to Moodley on Wednesday.
Asked if he knew the reasons for Weinstein’s withdrawal from the case, he said he only knew that his services had been terminated.
Minnie described Moodley as ”confident at this stage” and when asked about his treatment at Johannesburg prison, he said his client ”seems to be fine”. Moodley is being kept in a single cell at the prison, he said.
The court was packed with friends of Matthews and Moodley. Moodley’s fiancée also attended the proceedings and most of his friends once again wore blue ribbons as a sign of solidarity.
Moodley, who is a Christian, held a book about missionary David Livingstone from the Heroes of Faith series. He was shackled during his brief appearance.
The proceedings were delayed for more than half an hour because Weinstein got lost and state prosecutor Pieter Erasmus had to give him directions to the building, which is near the sprawling Alexandra township, north of Johannesburg.
There was also a delay because Moodley was taken to the wrong cells at the court.
Moodley, from Alberton, was arrested in the town on October 4. He was a student at the upmarket Bond University in Sandton, the same institution that Matthews attended.
Matthews disappeared from outside the university on July 9 — the day before a party was to be held to celebrate her 21st birthday.
Her body was found 12 days later by a municipal worker cutting grass in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg. She had been shot. — Sapa