SECUNDA – He is not a troublemaker and the community will therefore not be outraged if he is granted bail.
This is how the man accused of robbing, raping and murdering Ms Corrienne Tesner in Hodgson Street on 23 February, described himself at his bail hearing in the Secunda Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and Thursday, 15 and 16 May.
The 32-year-old suspect was caught when he broke into Mr Walter van Niekerk’s Secunda home on 12 April.
His left arm was broken during a scuff with Mr Van Niekerk and a neighbour.
The man’s older brother was arrested soon thereafter as an accomplice to car theft, because he accompanied the accused to Limpopo to sell Ms Tesner’s stolen car.
The brother was granted bail on 25 April, while the accused brought a formal bail application before Magistrate Faith Kekana last week.
His former convictions and pending cases were placed on record at this bail hearing.
The accused was convicted on three counts of burglary and one of house robbery eight years ago.
Although he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on each count, he only spent a combined time of 18 months in jail.
He was also arrested in Limpopo in August last year in connection with a hijacking and was out on bail when he was apprehended for Ms Tesner’s murder.
When asked why he was applying for bail, the accused said he believes he has a future and hopes to find a job so that he can have a normal life.
He told the court that his arm hurts and he wanted to go to Moria for physical and spiritual healing.
He was also worried that if he is incarcerated, he would not be able to attend his hijacking hearing in Limpopo.
He also promised the court that he will not commit a crime while he is out on bail.
Ms Portia Matsane, the state prosecutor, asked him if he was not afraid that the community will want retribution if he is out on bail to which he replied:
“No, I am not a troublesome man. I am indoors most of the time and only go out to church and to paint.”
The man paints pictures and numbers on houses and claims he makes money from this to pay for food and to send out his CVs.
Magistrate Kekana said in her ruling that the community will definitely not be happy if the accused is granted bail.
“There is no doubt in my mind that if you are let out on bail you will commit another crime,” said Magistrate Kekana.
The accused will again appear in court on 14 June.
Also read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/137272/secunda-man-catches-burglar-later-confessed-killing-secunda-woman-earlier-year/
