The alleged murder mastermind in the case of City Med Managing Director Louis Siemens has been sentenced to eight years in prison on a separate matter.

Stanley Bakili, who is still on trial for the murder of Siemens on 10 May 2018, was sentenced on Saturday (11/11) in a fraud case involving more than R500,000 in the Bloemfontein Regional Court. He was accused of defrauding five people regarding the sale of houses in Bloemfontein.

Magistrate Lindisa Mpama also ordered Bakili to pay back the victims he defrauded but suspended the sentence for three years, provided that he complied with a court order.

The Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court. Picture: Lucky Nkuyane

He was ordered to pay the first victim R65,000, the second R90,000, the third R120,000, the fourth R120,000, and the fifth R115,000, which amounts to R510,000.

Bakili is on trial in the High Court along with six others who were arrested for the murder of Siemens who was gunned down in broad daylight at the Preller Square shopping complex's parking lot in Bloemfontein.

The case, which has been dragging on since 2018, was expected to reach its end in 2021 but surprisingly the state asked for a postponement to call another witness.

‘Siemens was shot four times assassination-style’

Siemens, the then MD of the day hospital CityMed, was shot four times assassination-style in the basement parking of the Preller Square Shopping Complex in 2018. Ten men were previously arrested for playing various direct and indirect roles in orchestrating and carrying out the murder.

But the numbers have since dwindled to six after two police officers were acquitted of all charges and SAPS members recently died whilst imprisoned. Eight of those arrested are standing trial while the others have turned state witnesses.

The accused were arrested between May 2018 and January 2019 respectively. They include Stanley Bakili, Mojalefa Jali Molusi, Karabo Tau, Sizwe Mpati, and Clive Tshivenga.

The other man and assassin in the murder, Xolisile Mbebetho, confessed to the crime and was convicted in November 2018 of pulling the trigger that killed Siemens. Mbebetho was sentenced to 22 years in jail by the High Court and, in turn, became the state’s key witness.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane  Morné/Daphné/Corné