A man who handed himself over to the police shortly after his girlfriend was allegedly hacked to death with an axe will hear his bail judgment today.
A man who handed himself over to the police shortly after his girlfriend was allegedly hacked to death with an axe will hear his bail judgment today.
The court has heard throughout the two-week long bail application allegations that the 39-year-old Vukani man repeatedly struck his girlfriend with an axe on the head on the afternoon of July 7.
The state had initially opted not to oppose the man's bail application: he was not a flight risk; he handed himself over to the police; he had no previous convictions or pending cases; he had a stable job; he owned a house and a car. However, as the bail application progressed the interest of the public and concerns for his safety should he be released became reason for concern.
Investigating officer Warrant Officer Anton Annandale revealed shocking details of the case when he took the stand last Friday.
He said the suspect called the Grahamstown police station and reported to a police officer that he had assaulted his girlfriend and locked her in his house in Vukani.
He also told the police that he suspected she had died.
Shortly thereafter the police had gone to the house and found the front door locked.
Annandale said they walked around the house and saw Mtwisha sitting on the toilet.
The officers kicked the door open and entered the house, where they found Mtwisha's lifeless body with several wounds to the head.
They found a small axe near the toilet.
Annandale said the accused was not in the house at the time. He had told the police he was on his way to Port Alfred. Later that evening he returned to Grahamstown and handed himself over at the police station. They immediately detained him and charged him with murder.
Annandale told the court that before he realised the community's interest in the case, he had believed the accused could be released on bail; however, he now believed the man's life could be in danger if he were granted bail.
He is well known in the community.
The man's lawyer, advocate Charles Stamper argued that his client's life would not necessarily be in danger because he could stay elsewhere while the trial was in progress.
Magistrate Ronny Lesele postponed the case to today for bail judgment.
