A man who handed himself over to police after allegedly stabbing his cousin to death was granted R500 bail in the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court on Tuesday 13 August.
A man who handed himself over to police after allegedly stabbing his cousin to death was granted R500 bail in the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court on Tuesday 13 August.
The 42-year-old from Seven Fountains farming area, west of Grahamstown, was arrested in Grahamstown on 3 August after fleeing the scene of the incident.
Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said the man's 28-year-old cousin, Lonwabo Goduka, was stabbed at about 11.15pm the previous day near a hall in Seven Fountains. "There was an argument, and the suspect stabbed the victim and fled. The suspect was arrested the following day at 11pm," she said.
During the man's bail application on Tuesday the investigating officer Constable Pumelele Nojoko told the court that the two relatives were fighting but had been separated.
Nojoko said after the fight Goduka approached his cousin to apologise when he was stabbed. Nojoko said from what he observed, the 28-year-old had only been stabbed once.
The 42-year-old then called a police officer that he knows to tell him that he'd stabbed his cousin, before travelling to Hlalani location in Grahamstown. The police officer allegedly called an ambulance and alerted police to the incident.
According to Nojoko, the man left Seven Fountains not knowing that his cousin had died.
Nojoko told the court that his brother had called the police to tell them that the 42-year-old man was with him in Hlalani and asked to meet Nojoko on Dr Jacob Zuma Drive.
When Nojoko arrived, only his brother was there, but the 42-year-old later handed himself over to police. State prosecutor Mandisi Gwatyuza said the State was opposing bail.
Magistrate Nomnikelo Jebese said it would be inhumane to release the accused to the area where his deceased cousin's family resides.
Jebese granted him R500 bail and ordered him not to set foot on the farm where Goduka's family lives. The case was postponed to 26 September for further investigations.
