SEVEN years after 37-year-old gold miner, Cleveland Smithet was killed during an armed robbery along a trail at Five Star Backdam, North West District (NWD), a man was on Friday charged for his murder.

Carlton Blake made his appearance before the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, and was not required to plead to the capital offence which alleged that on December 13, 2011 at Five Star Backdam, he murdered Smithet during the course of a robbery.
He was remanded to prison until November 6. The matter was transferred to the Mathews Ridge Magistrate’s Court.

On the day in question, the deceased and his brother, Trevor Smithet, 39, were on their way out of the hinterland location, in the company of the owner of a mining operation, when they were held at gunpoint by two gunmen.

The men robbed the men of their valuables and shot Cleveland during the process.