Paul Prinsloo (62), accused of shooting and killing his wife and stepdaughter in Kosmos, North West, a year ago, will know early in November if he will be granted bail.

Prinsloo has been incarcerated since his arrest on November 27, 2023. He is accused of premeditated murder after his wife Magdaleen Prinsloo (58) and stepdaughter Ruzanne Weideman (31) were shot and killed with a hunting rifle at their home in Kosmos. According to eyewitness Nico Pienaar, the shootings followed heated arguments between Prinsloo and the two women.

Last Thursday, Prinsloo’s legal representative Advocate Zirk Pansegrouw presented his final response to the state’s closing arguments. Magistrate Reagan Rosenberg will give his ruling in the first week of November. “I am still waiting for about half of the court transcripts,” he said.

Pansegrouw has argued throughout the bail hearing that jail is not suitable for Prinsloo, citing prison conditions and that Prinsloo possibly has cancer. He told the court that Prinsloo had been bitten by sac spiders and bedbugs in prison.

The prosecutor said earlier that the conditions in jail cannot be used as an excuse to grant Prinsloo bail. “If we allow criminals to be released on bail because of jail conditions, there will be no one behind bars,” she said.

Rosenberg told the court last Friday that there were no indications of cancer in Prinsloo’s latest blood tests.

Magdaleen’s sister Nici Hanly told Kormorant the family is relieved that the prolonged bail hearing was finally nearing its end. “It has been an extremely traumatic year and we believe justice will prevail,” she said.