'Middleman' in Papapavlou murder conspiracy case seeks release on bail

Phillip Manchidi, a suspect in the 2020 murder of Groblersdal farmer Raymond Papapavlou, made a fleeting appearance in the local district court before load-shedding interrupted proceedings on Monday.

Manchidi’s bail application was postponed to Wednesday.

Papapavlou was murdered in his bed on the Frischgewaagd farm about 30km outside Groblersdal on October 4 2020. 

Almost a month later, on October 27, Patricia Ray-Lee Smith — purported to be the girlfriend of Papapavlou’s widow Simone — was arrested. Simone Papapavlou herself was arrested after six months. She handed herself over to SAPS investigators on August 12 in 2021.

Manchidi, who was arrested on April 1 this year, made his first appearance in the Groblersdal district court on April 3.

This Monday, in front of a small gathering of interested parties, Manchidi attempted to apply for bail.

At about 11am, while the investigating officer, W/O Debbie van Zyl, was testifying, the power went out and officials had no choice but to postpone the case.

According to a police source close to the investigation, Manchidi is a key role player in the alleged conspiracy to murder Papapavlou.

“Simone’s father, Shane Richard Dean Olivier, is currently serving a life sentence for murder and attempted murder in Kgosi Mampuru prison after murdering his brother with a brick and a hammer in 2002 and also attempting to murder his sister-in-law.