Johannesburg - The trial of the man dubbed the “Modimolle Monster” continues in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday.
Johan Kotze is accused of orchestrating the gang-rape of his former wife Ina Bonette, and murdering his stepson Conrad, 19, in his rented home in Modimolle on January 3.
On Tuesday, the court heard that Kotze blamed his wife for his deeds.
His friend Dirk van der Merwe testified that Kotze phoned him the day the crimes were committed. He was crying and said he no longer wanted to live. He said Van der Merwe would never see him again and should not search for him.
Kotze phoned him again the night after the crime.
When Van der Merwe asked him “what the hell he had done”, Kotze said it was all Bonette's fault.
He said Kotze told him he had tried, but failed, twice to commit suicide.
Van der Merwe urged Kotze to hand himself to the police and offered to go with him, but Kotze said he first had a few tasks to perform.
Kotze allegedly forced three men he had hired to work in his garden - Andries Sithole, Pieta Mohlane and Frans Mphaka - to rape Bonette while she was tied to a bed with her mouth taped shut. All four face charges of kidnapping, rape, assault, and attempted murder.
Bonette had testified that he called her to the house to fetch some of her belongings. When she was inside the house he overpowered her and tied her up.
Kotze was arrested on January 11. - Sapa