Alleged prostitute claims innocence in Pather's murder
. Malcolm Pather, 41, was reported missing before his body was found in a burnt vehicle in Melkbosstrand.
Image: Supplied
One of the alleged prostitutes who is believed to have lured Cape Town father, Malcolm Pather to his death and burnt his body beyond recognition is set to deny her involvement in the murder.
Yesterday, the Atlantis Magistrates’ Court, accused Courtney Nortje, made an appearance for her bail application and heard she was being charged with Section 9 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, relating for advance to the activities of the Ugly Americans gang.
The group all together, Stacey-Lee Hector, Wade Van Reenen, Igshaan Abrahams, Kyle Francis, Nortje, Paul Solomons and Zainoediden Greeff, were slapped with an additional charge, that of robbery aggravated.
During her time at court, Nortje informed her Legal aid attorney that she is going to talk about the merits of the case during the bail application, claiming she did not kill the deceased but that her other six co-accused killed him.
When Nortje made this bold move, her attorney requested another to be appointed.
The matter was then postponed to April 10 for another attorney to come on record and her co-accused to appear.
The state revealed that the robbery aggravated charge relates to the deceased being robbed of a iPhone 16 Pro, wallet with bank cards, containing cash money and an arm bracelet.
The state is set to prove that the group - alleged gang members and prostitutes - apparently lured Pather in July 2025.
The state is further set to prove that according to the post-mortem, it was the severe burns and drugs intoxication that killed the deceased. It is also the states case that that "Liquid Gee" (Gamma-hydroxybutyrate-GHB) was allegedly administered by Nortje to the deceased twice, causing him to become unconscious.
Nortje was also accused of informing the detective, that Abrahams, Francis and Van Reenen allegedly choked the deceased and it was the reason why he became unconscious.
He was last seen alive on July 13, 2025, leaving his home in his blue BMW. The state aims to prove that the group operated as a syndicate with a common purpose and upon conviction of this murder may face life imprisonment.
The two female accused, who were alleged prostitutes, apparently lured the deceased to a Table View address for sex. The deceased was then allegedly robbed of his cellular phone, money and BMW vehicle, and subsequently killed at this residence.
The state will further lead their case that, following the murder, that his hands were tied behind his back and he was taken in his own vehicle to a road in Mamre, Darling, where a burnt deserted bakkie stood. They allegedly put the deceased on the back of the bakkie, poured petrol on him and burnt his body.