Pretoria geologist Cobus Prinsloo, accused of having his former wife killed by his gardener, denied on Tuesday that he had anything to do with murder.
He and co-accused Lucas Noto Moloi were applying for bail in the Pretoria North Magistrate' Court.
Prinsloo testified that although his ex, Cordelia Prinsloo, had obtained a protection order against him after their divorce five years ago, she was residing in a home on his smallholding at Buffelsdrift, north of the city.
He admitted that the order prohibited him from swearing at or assaulting her, but said they both obtained orders against each other.
"We settled our differences for the sake of our children," he said.
Continues Below ↓
Prinsloo said he had no motive to have Cordelia killed.
In fact, he paid private investigators to trace her murderer, the court heard.
He said in his bail affidavit that he kept to the High Court's earlier conditions for his release and did not leave his home in Montana Park until he had to appear in court.
As a consulting geologist, he was supposed to fly to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with his ticket and passport ready, but missed the trip due to his court appearance.
Prinsloo said he was close to his family and his two sons, aged 18 and 15, were in his custody.
The eldest, who played pipe organ, had been invited to play with a famous Russian violinist in America during December.
Prinsloo has already bought the tickets.
Listing his properties and assets, he said at the age of 62 he had no desire to leave his loved ones and possessions to become a fugitive and evade his trial.
His wife's domestic worker contacted him on October 12 this year, the day of the murder, saying Moloi was acting strange and that she was scared.
He drove there and told Moloi to stay in his room.
Continues...
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
