Murder: Neighbour appears in court

By Natasha Joseph

Angry Marina da Gama residents are accusing Muizenberg police of being "100 percent responsible" for the murder of Dianne Sherwood, who was shot dead outside her Marina home on Thursday night, allegedly by a neighbour.

But police deny they knew about the alleged murderer's unlicensed firearm, and say they did not receive or ignore complaints about the suspect.

Sherwood, 40, died after being shot twice. Tony Leisegang, 60, who lives across the road from Sherwood's Park Close home, appeared in the Muizenberg magistrate's court on a charge of murder on Monday.

Leisegang, sporting massive bruising of his face, a black eye and wounds on his head, stood quietly in the dock while prosecutor John Campher asked for him to be sent to a psychiatric hospital for 30 days' observation.

Leisegang's lawyer, William Booth, urged the court not to put him under observation on "the say so" of witnesses and Sherwood's family after Campher had cited a petition, signed by a number of Marina da Gama residents, as evidence that Leisegang was mentally unstable.

Booth requested that his client be evaluated by a private psychiatrist rather than being sent to Valkenberg.

He said Leisegang required "urgent medical treatment" for his injuries, which he said were sustained before the shooting. Booth said he had been hit with an iron bar, "among other things"

Magistrate Crystal McKenna remanded Leisegang in the custody of Muizenberg police until Friday.

Robbie Ernst, who described himself as Sherwood's "best friend", said police knew about the unlicensed firearm allegedly used in the killing, and slammed several high-ranking Muizenberg officers for not intervening.

But this was denied by police spokesperson Elliot Sinyangana.