Johannesburg - The case against the man accused of throwing acid over a former girlfriend appears to be in jeopardy after the docket went missing from the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Now the Norwood Community Police Forum is so afraid that the accused, Jan Pieterse, will be released because of apparent police bungling of the investigation that it has arranged for her to be placed in a safe house.
Pieterse is accused of throwing battery acid over Ines Antonio, 24, in November, giving her first-degree burns over her body.
The investigating officer was not present in court on Wednesday and she was not reachable on the phone.
The docket, too, was missing and court officials were scurrying around trying to find it.
They were uncertain whether it was with the investigating officer.
Magistrate A Roux said the investigating officer should present herself in court on Thursday to explain why there had been no progress in the investigation of the case.
Pieterse was supposed to have been sent to a district surgeon for observation and a report on his mental capacity to stand trial.
The district surgeon was supposed to determine whether he needed to be referred to Sterkfontein psychiatric hospital for 30 days.
In postponing the case, Roux told Pieterse that he would remain in custody until today.
Tania Sani, of the Norwood Community Police Forum, expressed shock at the outcome.
“After questioning why the officer was not in court, I was told that she had worked the night before and was therefore unable to be in court, but that she will be there tomorrow (on Thursday).
“I informed them that Antonio’s life was in danger, as this man will come back and kill her if he is released.
“We have arranged for People Opposing Women Abuse to admit her into one of their safe houses, because we cannot take a chance with SAPS bungling up this case once again,” she said.
For weeks after the attack, and while he was on the run, Pieterse bombarded Antonio daily with Whatsapp messages, saying he would return to “finish her off”, and kept on saying he would never be charged.
The Star was shown messages from Pieterse to his former partner Antonio.
These are some of them:
“Die u will for what u did to me”
“This is a sicopath talking …”
“Next 2015 I will put … u slut b***h down like dogs.”
“I will kill to prove my point.”
“ …that was the start of your sh*t many more still to come I am not done, this is the tip of the iceberg. There is still more coming.”
“I will get u and put u down.”
“No restraining order, court, family or police will stop me to kill u.”
“I am ready to die and u will die with me.”
“I am waiting for those police. They will do nothing to me this country is full of corruption I will do what I want and that no police or who ever can stop me I want u poppy dead.”