Westbury shooting case postponed
Three suspects linked to the murder of 45-year-old Heather Peterson in Westbury last month appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The suspects aged 18, 21 and 32 were escorted into the courtroom under heavy police guard.
Members of the public in the court gallery were ordered to leave the court before the suspects were called, due to the security risk.
The suspects who cannot be named due to the nature of the case are facing charges of murder and the attempted murder of Peterson’s 10-year-old niece.
Peterson and her niece were allegedly caught in the crossfire during a shootout between two rival gangs near the Rahima Moosa mother and child hospital.
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The incident led to unrest in Westbury and the deployment of a Tactical Response Team by Police Minister Bheki Cele to deal with crime in the area.
The case was postponed to the 23rd of October for a formal bail application.
An identity parade is expected to be conducted this weekend.
The court has ordered that the identities of the three suspects not be published until investigations are at an advanced stage.
The suspects will remain in custody and more suspects are expected to be arrested in this case.