The man who was arrested and appeared in court for the murder of Prestbury woman, Sharon Deetlefs, was her gardener.
Deetlefs’ (62) body was found lying in her bedroom with bruises and strangulations marks on the neck on December 30. She was allegedly strangled with an extension cord.
Police said her home on Bellevue Road in Prestbury was ransacked and items including speakers, two cellphones and a DVD player were missing. A case of robbery and murder were opened for investigation at Prestbury SAPS.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Thembeka Mbele, said that on Monday Prestbury police officers received information about the suspect and proceeded to the Hilton area.
“Upon their arrival at the said place, police officers found Douglas Mataula (35) who was employed by the deceased as her gardener, in possession of the missing belongings and he was immediately arrested.”
Mataula made his first court appearance on Wednesday at the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court, and he was remanded into custody until January 12 for a bail application hearing.