DNA results key evidence in missing Brooklyn woman’s case in Pretoria

The State awaits the DNA results of the blood that was found in the house of a Brooklyn man accused of killing his wife of 15 years, Rekord East reports.

Prem Emmanuel Basdeo appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of murder, perjury and defeating the ends of justice.

He is accused of killing his wife Dawn and then reporting her missing to the police in June.

Prosecutor Kagisho Rancho said the state was awaiting DNA results from the blood that was found on a knife and on clothing items the police had found in Basdeo’s house.

Blood was also found inside the vehicle Dawn was said to have been using when she disappeared.

It is alleged that Basdeo admitted to disposing of his wife’s body after she fell in the bathroom while they were having an argument.

Basdeo allegedly explained to the police how he wrapped Dawn’s body in a brown blanket, loaded it into a car and disposed of it after a long drive.

Basdeo reported Dawn missing to Brooklyn police in June.

He claimed that she left their home to go to a hospital for blood tests, but never returned.

Her body has yet to be found and the State believed that the evidence gathered suggested she was murdered.

Rancho said the State was still looking into the possibility of linking a second person to the case.

During Basdeo’s bail application, police said that an independent witness claims to have spotted Basdeo and an accomplice dumping what looked light a plastic bag at an open veld.

Basdeo was released on R50 000 bail after the North Gauteng Court found that a previous ruling by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court paid more attention to the strength of the case.

Acting Judge David Makgoba said in a bail application that it was important to consider whether an accused person would attempt to evade justice, intimidate witnesses or attempt to tamper with evidence.

In July, Basdeo was denied bail by a Pretoria magistrate, who said no exceptional circumstances were proven that would warrant his release.

“The accused need not show exceptional circumstances, but show that it would be in the interest of justice that they are released on bail,” Makgoba said.

His bail conditions include handing over his passport to the police, reporting to his nearest police station every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and not being allowed to leave the province.

The case was postponed to 1 February for further investigation and the state hopes to have the indictments ready by then.

Basdeo was warned that should he fail to appear on said date, he would be arrested and would forfeit his bail money.