Source: News.com.au and West Australian
Perth -- AN entrepreneur accused of murdering his gay lover in their luxury East Perth penthouse has made a brief appearance in court this morning.

Gerurdas Gerrit Heijne, 44, appeared in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court via videolink from Hakea Prison.

His partner Frank Cianciosi was found dead in the apartment on January 4, but police are yet to reveal how he died.

Dressed in prison issue clothing, Heijne said just two words during the appearance, acknowledging his correct name and that the videolink transmission was operating correctly.

His barrister Luka Margaretic told the court the defence was awaiting further information from the prosecution and requested an adjournment.

Heijne was remanded in custody to next appear on February 6.

The men, well known in Perth's business set, became millionaires after establishing a chicken franchise in the state of West Australia (WA).

In the past two weeks, since Heijne was arrested, serious concerns have been raised about the business.

According to West Australian newspaper, the Federal consumer watchdog is believed to be investigating Heijne and his dead partner over the way they dealt with franchisees of their chain of chicken shops.

Last week, major crime squad detectives turned their focus to the East Perth headquarters from where the couple ran the WA arm of the Lenard’s franchise chain.

Federal MP Don Randall accused them in Parliament last year of financially ruining WA franchisees. Under parliamentary privilege, Mr Randall, the Liberal member for Canning, said Mr Heijne and his partner had caused a number of his constituents to lose their homes and had verbally abused others in public. He accused the couple of sending franchisees “to the wall” in a bid to be able to resell the businesses and make more money.

At least four franchise owners claim to have walked away from their businesses because of the alleged actions of Mr Heijne and Mr Cianciosi.

Disgruntled former owners, who did not want to be named because they were fighting Lenard’s for compensation, said other problems were a lack of training and over-ordering of stock by the master franchisees.

National Federation of Independent Businesses president John Farrell said there was an endemic problem in Australia of middle-order franchisors systematically and deliberately recycling franchises.

He claimed Lenard’s was a classic example of where owners did not care if franchisees stayed in business because they could make more money by reselling and restarting the stores.

Full article: Heijne appears in court over partner's murder | PerthNow
Questions grow over business dealings of Lenard’s pair | The West Australian