CAPE TOWN - Alleged serial rapist and murderer, former Cape Flats pastor Keith Bird, made a brief appearance in the Western Cape High Court on Monday where he faces two counts of murder, four of rape, as well as theft and crimen injuria.
Judge President John Hlophe admonished Bird, 52, for wearing a casual t-shirt, before postponing the case to March 11 for a plea bargain to be finalised.
"I don't want to see your arms. Show decorum. Show respect for the court," Hlophe told Bird.
The former pastor was arrested in 2017 for the murder of Aniesa Bardien, 36, after she broke off their engagement. Her decomposed body was found several days after her disappearance.
In the summary of substantial facts, the State alleges that: "On 8 January, 2013, the accused lured the deceased into bushes near Camp Road in Strandfontein by getting Lizelle Jantjies to call her there. The accused strangled the deceased until she was unconscious. He then crushed her head by hitting her several times with a rock."
The second murder count relates to the rape and strangulation of Sharvonne Sharnice Koense, 20, on May 18, 2013.
Her partially clothed body was dumped in bushes in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain and discovered by a passerby later that day.
Bird also allegedly used social media to lure women. In one case, in May 2014, he arranged to meet one of his alleged victims through Facebook, on the pretext of offering her a modelling job. He then allegedly took out a knife and taser and forced her to perform oral sex on him.
In January 2014, he also allegedly used social network app "mxit" to meet one of the complainants. He visited her at his home and allegedly raped her and threatened to shock her if she did not co-operate. He also allegedly stole her blackberry cellphone.
The State alleges he returned to her house twice a week from January until May and threatened her and her family if she did not comply with his demands for sex.
State prosecutor Maresa Engelbrecht has drafted a plea and sentence agreement which is expected to be finalised by Bird's next court appearance on March 11.