Two young men who were allegedly involved in the gang rape and mutilation of a Limpopo woman and the murder of her 19-year-old son briefly appeared in the Modimolle Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The placard-waving ANC Women’s League members and angry residents who were present when the men’s co-accused, Johan Kotze and another man, appeared in court last Friday were not present on Monday.
The only people in the court room were family members and friends of the two accused who, because of the nature of the crime, may not be named until they have pleaded.
There was no sign of any angry protesters or residents outside court and the entrance to the court was easily accessible, with no queues.
The two men – who were not asked to plead – and their co-accused face 17 charges, including murder, sexual assault, conspiracy to rape, kidnapping and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and theft.
Kotze is alleged to have orchestrated the gang rape and mutilation of his estranged wife, Ina Bonnette, and to have shot her son Conrad, killing him, after making him beg for his life on January 3.
It is alleged that Kotze’s co-accused were forced at gunpoint to rape Bonnette.
Conrad Bonnette was a computer science student at the University of Pretoria. Bonnette was buried after an emotionally charged funeral service in Bela Bela last Friday.
The court heard on Monday that the two men had applied for legal aid and that a lawyer was on record to appear on their behalf.
Magistrate Hannes Stoffberg told the accused that they had the right to apply for bail, but because of the severity of the crime, the onus was upon them to prove to the court that special circumstances existed for the granting of bail.
They are to remain in custody until February 10, when they are to appear with Kotze and the fourth man.
Outside court, senior public prosecutor Renier van Rooyen said the charges against Kotze also applied to his co-accused on the grounds of common purpose.
He said the case would be sent soon to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, who would decide if the case would be referred to the high court for trial.
“I’m 99 percent sure this case will go the high court,” he said.
Van Rooyen said post-mortem and ballistics reports, as well crime scene photographs and DNA findings, were being awaited.
“Once we have all the evidence, charges may be added or removed.” - Pretoria News