MARIUS Nagel (23), accused of the rape and murder of Ella Sophia Potgieter (43), appeared in the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court last week. Magistrate Anita Sesiah, postponed to the case to today (Friday), for bail application.
State prosecutor Rubeun Judnarain opposed bail, saying Nagel now faces a charge of ‘premeditated murder’.
“He has five previous convictions, four for housebreaking and one for theft,” he said.
Mr Judnarain said the matter was at an advanced stage of investigation and the matter would be referred to the high court.
Herman Horn, the Legal Aid defence attorney who is representing Nagel, argued that his client’s rights to legal representation had been infringed.
“One of our attorneys was told to wait at Port Shepstone police station for an identity parade, while the accused was whisked away to a ‘pointing out’ without the presence of his attorney,” he said.
