Cape Town - A woman accused of murdering her boyfriend said she was protecting her unborn baby.
Xena Swanepoel appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday after her arrest on Saturday morning.
The 21-year-old is alleged to have used a broken beer bottle during a physical altercation with her boyfriend of three years, John Andrea, 36.
Police said he was stabbed in the neck.
“Our fight started on Friday when he slapped me, I ran away from him and slept over at my friend’s place. We had been drinking all night and in the morning I went home and thought he would be calm. He started a fight about me not sleeping at the place we both lived in,” she said.
Swanepoel told the Cape Argus the deceased punched and kicked her.
“I went outside to run away from him. I saw the beer bottle and as he hit me I retaliated with the bottle. I stabbed him. I didn’t even see where, but I remember seeing him fall to the ground. His body was inside our room.
“I went outside and that is when people saw what happened. The police kept me in jail for the weekend and I got out on Monday afternoon,” she said.
Swanepoel said she didn’t intentionally stab Andrea.
“He knew I was two months pregnant, but he was beating me. When I grabbed the bottle I was trying to defend myself and protect our unborn baby. I am not fine since Saturday.
“I’m still processing everything. I can’t even say how I feel right now. To be honest he wasn’t abusive, but on Friday and Saturday he did assault me,” she said.
Swanepoel told magistrate Goolam Bawa she had no money for bail, and he released her on free bail.
“I don’t have any family member that can pay bail for me. My parents died when I was still young. I don’t have a permanent job. I work with EPWP as a street cleaner,” she said.
The presiding officer warned the accused to return to court on August 3.
“I need you to promise me that you will be in court in August. You have to save for transport fare. You cannot speak to the witness. You have to stop drinking, stay sober,” he said.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “Saturday morning at about 7.45am, an SAPS patrol van attended to a murder at premises in Imam Haron Road, Lansdowne.
“On arrival, members found the body of the 36-year-old man lying with a stab wound to the neck.
“A 21-year-old woman was arrested and faced charges of murder. She appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, and was released on bail,” he said.