3rd suspect arrested in Kotzé case

2012-01-13 11:01

Modimolle - Shortly after the court appearance of Johan Kotzé on Friday, police said they had arrested a third person in connection with an attack on his estranged wife and the shooting of her son.

Colonel Mogale Ramatseba said the third person was arrested at around 09:00 in Makapanstad, near Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria.

He would appear in court soon and his case would eventually be joined to that of Kotzé and another man arrested in connection with the attack.

Ramatseba said the police were confident that they would apprehend a fourth person believed to have been involved.

17 charges

Kotzé, 50, and the first co-accused, aged 42, made a brief appearance in the Modimolle Magistrate's Court on Friday and would remain in custody until their next appearance in February.

They face 17 charges, including murder, conspiracy to rape, rape, sexual assault, kidnapping and common assault.

They will appear in court again on February 10.

The court ordered that Kotzé's co-accused not be identified as an identity parade still had to be held.

Kotzé, wearing a khaki shirt and jeans, held his head up as photographers took pictures of him, but his co-accused hid his face under a blue overall jacket.

ANC Women's League members sang liberation songs outside the court before the appearance.

They were angered at what Kotzé had allegedly done, said ANCWL Waterberg treasurer Joy Matshoge.

Angry

"We are very angry. We call on the court not to grant him bail," she said.

"Violence has no colour or race - we are here to support the woman."

She said the ANCWL was also angry that Kotzé had taken advantage of poor, unemployed men, promising them jobs and later allegedly forcing them to attack his wife.

"He is a devil," she said.

Matshoge said the law should be fair towards the men and take into consideration that they had not intended committing the crime.

- SAPA