A Gordon's Bay man accused of murdering his mother has withdrawn his bail application until he has viewed the autopsy report.
On Friday, Richard Warne, 31, appeared in the Strand Magistrate's Court for his mother Betsie's murder trial, News24 reported. He appointed a Legal Aid representative as his counsel and when asked by the magistrate, preferred that the court proceedings be conducted in English.
His case docket will be sent to the director of public prosecutions to determine where his case should be heard. It is expected to be in the high court.
Fearful neighbours of his mother, Marie and Willem Sadie, have expressed relief that he has delayed his bail application.
The couple was awakened on the evening of August 31 by someone screaming in English outside their bedroom window: "There is a dead woman inside. I am telling you, this f****** woman is dead."
They alerted the police and security guards speedily arrived on the scene where Betsie Warne had lived next door to them for four years.