Wine estate murder case postponed

2012-04-03 10:33

Cape Town - The trial of a man accused of killing his wife on a wine estate has been postponed by the Paarl Regional Court, it was reported on Tuesday.

The Cape Times reported that Johan du Toit appeared briefly on Monday. His trial was postponed until May 30 for further particulars to be considered.

His lawyer William Booth told magistrate Joe Magele that he had appealed to the State to drop the charges against Du Toit because of new evidence.

"We have sent through the docket to the State and since then have obtained certain information surrounding the time of death as well as the full evidence docket. We have been trying to have the matter cancelled, not to continue with trial," he was quoted as saying.

Chanel du Toit, 28, was found dead at Dieu Donne Wine Estate on July 7, 2010. She had been strangled.

Her mother-in-law found the body after her son said he was concerned because he could not get a hold of her.

He said the last time he had seen her alive was at 02:00 when he left for Springbok.

- SAPA