Numan Mohammed, charged with the murder of Kim Chau at luxury home in Sturt St, appears in court
The man accused of murdering a woman at a luxury city home owned by two senior State Government executives has appeared in court. It comes as friends spoke out about Kim Chau, who was about to turn 40.
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A 21-year-old man charged with the murder of woman stabbed to death in a luxury CBD home has appeared in court for the first time.
Numan Mohammed stood quietly in the Adelaide Magistrates Court dock on Wednesday afternoon as a translator relayed the hearing.
Andrew English, for Mohammed, did not apply for bail.
Prosecutors sought an adjournment to July for the provision of DNA and other forensic evidence, but Mr English opposed such a lengthy delay.
Magistrate Kim Millard remanded Mohammed in custody for a court date in December.
Friends have spoken of “amazing” chef, whose body was found on Monday night after first being reported missing on Sunday.
Police found the body of the 39-year-old at a Sturt St home — owned by Labor power couple SA Health deputy chief executive Donald Frater and his wife Human Services Department deputy chief executive Lois Boswell — just before 6pm on Monday night.
Family friend and former environment department chief executive officer Sandy Pitcher said Ms Chau was someone “we love spending time with and we dearly miss”.
Kim was about to turn 40 in November and she was looking forward to her birthday and really having a sense of her future,” she said.
“One of the things that she was really looking forward to was a trip to Bali that Lois and Don and her were going to do to celebrate her 40th birthday … it’s such a tragedy that she’s not going to be able to go on that trip and holiday with them.”
Ms Chau, who had lived with the couple at the house for the past 12 months, was reported missing to police on Sunday but authorities believed she was killed on Friday.
They said her body was hidden in an upstairs bedroom and other occupants of the house would not have known she was dead.
On Tuesday afternoon, Major Crime detectives arrested 21-year-old Numan Mohammed, who had lived at the Sturt St property on and off for two years but was living at a crisis accommodation centre on Waymouth St.
Ms Pitcher described Ms Chau as “an amazing restaurateur … and chef” who loved cooking.
“She was someone who could go to the fridge and you would think there’s no food in there and 12 minutes later there’s a meal that can feed six people,” she said.
“She loved living near Gouger St where all the restaurants and cafes were. She was a real culinary lover.”
Ms Pitcher said while Ms Chau enjoyed cooking, she was seeking a career change and was studying interior design at TAFE SA.
She said Ms Chau had moved into the home and became an important part of the household.
“Lois and Don are amazing people — their two adult children have left home and since that time Lois and Don have taken on people into their lives and brought them into their family and Kim was certainly a really important and loved member of Don and Lois’ household,” Ms Pitcher said.
Ms Chau moved from the Mid North to Sydney about five years ago before coming back to SA and settling in Adelaide.
While she lived in Clare, she ran a successful business called the Clare Dragon Restaurant for about 10 years.
Close friend Maryam, who asked that her last name be withheld, yesterday told The Advertiser Ms Chau was a very kind, respectful and considerate person.
“What was outstanding in her character was her calmness in dealing with life’s challenges,” she said.
“She never got angry, she was resilient.
“She told me she was living with this family — she said this is joy and happiness of life.”
Ms Boswell released a statement on Tuesday, saying Ms Chau was a friend and her family was “devastated by these events”.