The bail application of the 21-year-old student accused of killing Sandton teacher Kirsten Kluyts continued in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The student, who cannot be named because he faces a charge of rape, and can only be named once he pleads at the start of the trial, is being cross-examined by the State.
The State is opposing bail.
Kluyts, 34, a teacher at Delta Park High, was found murdered at the George Lea Recreational Park in Parkmore, Sandton, on October 29.
She had participated in an athletic event on the day of her murder.
Police made a breakthrough in the murder on November 26 by arresting the suspect at a residence not far from the crime scene.
In addition to rape, the student is also charged with murder and robbery.
He has denied any involvement in the murder and said he had discovered the body and took the clothes for fear that his fingerprints wound implicate him in the murder.
During his testimony, in a live recording courtesy of Newzroom Afrika, the accused said the reason he didn’t inform anyone of the crime, was because “there are too many people sitting in prison for crimes they did not commit.”
When asked by the State why he didn’t call the SAPS anonymously, the accused said: “I didn’t want to be involved with police,” adding that he was unfamiliar with the procedure.
“What if they ask me to come to the police station?”
He also told the court that five days after seeing Kluyts body, he had told the caretaker, his father and girlfriend.
The accused also admitted to seeking advice from a divorce attorney, who told him that if he didn’t do anything, then he had nothing to worry about.
“Did she not advise you do anything, like accompany you to the police station?” questioned the State.
When asked why he did not tell anyone about having Kluyts’ clothes in his possession, the accused said: “Yoh! I was scared. I was scared of prison. I was scared I took the clothes.”
The court has adjourned for a tea break.
IOL News