UPDATE: ‘Murder friends’ trial date set
The duo will return to court toward the end of the year for the alleged murder of their friend Richard Wood.
A trial date has finally been set for the two men accused of murdering their “friend” Richard Wood outside a pub in the north of Pretoria in November 2017.
Christopher van der Westhuizen and Marchant Bredell – dressed in almost matching outfits – heard in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday that their trial finally would start in November 2019.
This after an earlier appearance was postponed, pending the public prosecutions director’s approval of a plea agreement.
ALSO READ: UPDATE’ ‘Murder friends’ accused in court today
Van der Westhuizen was understood to have been Wood’s best friend.
Their case has been ongoing for longer than a year.
Wood (26) died on 13 November 2017 after being in a coma at a Ga-Rankuwa hospital for longer than a week after he was severely assaulted outside a pub in Pretoria North.
Following the pronouncement of the trial date, both men’s defence told the court the two men had changed addresses.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: North ‘murder-friends’ case postponed, again
Van der Westhuizen was arrested in 2018 and charged with the murder alongside Bredell.
They were due back in court on 11 November 2019 for the commencement of their trial.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
