Community members, activists and family gathered outside the Vredendal Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to oppose the bail application of Henry Moses, who stands accused of murdering the mother of his 2-year-old child, Monique Thaboshe.
Thaboshe, 22, who grew up on Karooplaas in Klawer, was killed in Vredendal on April 7, allegedly at the hands of Moses.
It is alleged that she was brutally beaten, after which the perpetrator allegedly tampered with the crime scene before he was arrested.
Thaboshe’s older brother Randall Thaboshe said the family wanted justice. “She was a lovely person, full of humour, never too serious. She was in a four-year relationship with Henry.
There was a lot of abuse, sometimes she came home when he hit her but she would then go back to him. We tried to speak to her but she still went back.
“We only found out about her murder through a friend on Facebook the night it happened, and we were devastated. There’s nothing we can do but we miss her a lot. All we want is justice.
“We are also trying to get custody of her child who currently lives with the father’s family,” he said.
Collectively organisations who fight against gender-based violence, including Broken Angels Network, Ubuntu Rural & Youth Movement and Ilitha Labantu wrote to the court to call for bail to be denied.
“Gender-based violence and femicide are serious human rights violations that hold significant negative consequences and impact, not only on the victim and those close to them, but also on the broader community.
Law abiding citizens do not want, nor deserve, to have those accused of GBV and femicide in the community, particularly those who have already served sentences for murder.
“The perpetrator has a previous conviction of murder, and this clearly shows that he is beyond rehabilitation.
Granting him bail will put other women’s lives at risk as his violent tendencies never ended. We are astonished by the arrogance of the perpetrator who feels he has the right to be free while Monique will never see daylight again.
“We do not want to see him being released on bail and get to roam the streets while his victims were not afforded a life free of violence and fear.
“Their families are secondary victims as they must face the perpetrators who keep coming back to the same communities.
“We ask the court to keep the accused in custody until the case is finalised,” they said.
Bianca du Toit from the Broken Angels Network organisation said they would also be handing the court a petition at Moses’ next appearance.
The matter was postponed to Monday.
Cape Times