Cape Town – The man accused of murdering Irish charity worker John Curran made his first appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday.
The 24-year-old Mitspa Onyoka, a Congolese national, was arrested on Friday night after detectives had followed up on several leads.
Having released images of CCTV footage, taken inside an elevator and dated November 6, police arrested Onyoka in Voortrekker Road on Friday.
The 60-year-old Curran had been found in his Buitengracht Street flat "in a pool of blood" by his girlfriend. He had open wounds to his head and face, police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said.
Curran’s phone was the only item stolen from the apartment.
He had just completed a two-year contract as director of education with the Ireland-based African development charity and was on holiday in Cape Town for a number of weeks before returning home to Dublin.
Onyoka's bail application was postponed to December 3 for further information.
Every year Mellon Educate brings volunteers from all over the world to Africa to build educational infrastructure in poor communities. To date, the charity has built 16 new schools and renovated many more.