By Sherlissa Peters
"If I can't have you, nobody else will. Till death do us part!" These were the chilling words that Jaiseelan (Jason) Govindsamy is alleged to have uttered as he repeatedly stabbed his wife to death at Howick Falls.
Govindsamy, 39, has pleaded not guilty in the Pietermaritzburg High Court for the murder of his wife, Anthea Govindsamy, 35, on March 25, 2007.
In an affidavit Govinsdamy admitted stabbing Anthea, but said he did not fully appreciate the unlawfulness of his actions, and was therefore entering a plea of not guilty.
Govindsamy was examined by several expert psychologists and psychiatrists before the trial.
They will sit in on the court proceedings and give their opinions to Judge Esther Steyn once all the evidence has been heard.
Geraldine Govindsamy, a relative and the dead woman's friend, testified on Monday.
She said that she had known Govindsamy for 17 years and that she and her husband often spent weekends with Govindsamy's family until an altercation in December 2006.
"I knew that Anthea and Jason had been having problems and that she wanted to leave him. I supported her decision to divorce Jason, and he was very angry with me and told me never to set foot in his house again. He told me he would kill Anthea and come back for me," Geraldine said.
After that incident, Geraldine said Anthea left the couple's home and went to live with her sister.
The couple's two children stayed with Govindsamy, and Anthea would see them at weekends.
Geraldine said she and her two sisters had gone to Howick Falls to relax on a Sunday.
"We saw Anthea, her two sons, Anthea's sister-in-law and child. I called her on her cellphone and told her to join us, and the five of them came across," she said.
Anthea's sister-in-law took the children to a play area while Anthea stayed with Geraldine.
"I had not seen or spoken to Anthea in about three weeks and we were chatting and catching up when we saw Jason's car coming towards us," Geraldine said.
She was sitting in the front passenger seat with the door open, Anthea was leaning against the inside of the car door, while one of her sisters was in the back seat and the other in the front passenger seat.
"We saw Jason's car stop alongside Anthea's car. He got out and was looking around for them. I told Anthea to get the boys because he was probably there to pick them up. She called the boys and they ran to meet their father," Geraldine said. She said Govindsamy lifted his sons into the air, kissed them and put them back down.
He held their hands as he walked towards them and leaned against the rear door of her car.
"I was a bit hesitant because it was the first time I had seen him since we had the altercation in 2006. He greeted us all and then handed Anthea a packet of jewellery, telling her that this would prove that he didn't sell it for drugs. Anthea looked dumbstruck," she said.
Geraldine told the court that she had heard Govindsamy ask Anthea how she was doing and if there was anything that she needed to tell him about someone called Travis.
"Anthea said she had nothing to tell him. Jason responded by telling her that was fine, and then I saw what looked like him punching Anthea in the stomach," she said.
"It was only when I saw him move his hand back that I saw the knife blade and realised that he was stabbing her... I tried to pull him away by his shirt but ended up pulling him to the ground.
"He then turned back to Anthea, who was slumped against the side of the car, and continued stabbing her. He told her that if he couldn't have her, no one else could and that only death would part them," she said.
Geraldine said it was only when other people realised the enormity of the situation that they tried to help.
"I heard a gunshot and saw a man pointing a gun at Jason. He dropped the knife and ran away," she said.
Geraldine had driven Anthea to hospital, but she was dead already, she said. The trial continues.