'Jesus killer' was on parole
2005-12-22 22:19
Cape Town - Only the eyes of the suspected "Jesus killer" of Philippi were visible in the slit of his dark pink balaclava when he appeared in court on Thursday on four murder charges and two of rape.
The 41 year-old man, thin as a rake, was escorted by more than 10 heavily armed policemen when he appeared before Merietjie van Eeden in the Wynberg magistrate's court
Van Eeden heard the man was on parole when he committed the alleged crimes.
He has not yet pleaded on any of the alleged crimes and, in terms of legislation, may not be identified.
The man, wearing a pair of white pants and short-sleeved T-shirt, stood shivering in the dock, stared straight ahead and only said: "I speak Arikaans" when asked for his language preference.
State prosecutor Nazlee Abdeljaoued requested that the man appear in court wearing a balaclava to prevent him from being identified.
She said there were members of the media present and it was possible that he still had to be subjected to an identity parade.
Abdeljaoued said the man had no fixed address, was unemployed and roamed around the Western Cape.
According to her the man has several previous convictions, many of them assault charges.
She said he was presently on parole and correctional services officials had been looking for him.
Abdeljaoued said the State would oppose bail. She said should he be freed, it would be difficult to find him again and he might try to intimidate witnesses.
A charge of intimidating a witness was already being investigated against the accused, she said.
Abdeljaoued requested that the hearing be postponed for seven days to obtain bail information and allow further investigation, especially as the results of DNA tests were still being awaited.
John Frieslaar, attorney of the accused, had no objections against the postponement.