Rape and murder-accused Chris Mthethwa was denied bail in the Cullinan Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Mthethwa is alleged to have raped and killed his own cousin Owami Visagie on 24 March 2024.
The Patriotic Alliance Woman’s League in Tshwane took the lead on Wednesday to protest outside the Cullinan Magistrates Court together with the community of Mamelodi and Refilwe, demanding that the perpetrator Mthethwa should not be granted bail.
A memorandum of concerns was submitted to the court earlier on the morning of Wednesday 23 October 2024 by Patriotic Alliance Regional Chairperson Thabo Thwala, Regional Organiser Nqobani Phoseka and Regional Secretary of the party’s Womens League Pretty Morudu Tshwane.
Among other people in the court was the ANC Women’s League, who supported the family and honoured the invite from the office of the Patriotic Alliance Women’s League.
According to the party’s Women’s Alliance Secretary Pretty Morudu, the alleged perpetrator and the deceased are blood relatives.
“The victim’s mother was also present in court and when Mththwa was called to the witness stand,she couldn’t hold her tears back,” said Morudu.
Mthethwa’s lawyer was adamant that he should be granted bail, stating that he was not dangerous to the society as he is loved by the community of Refilwe and that he was not a flight risk.
“The court must not be misled by the petition submitted by the Patriotic Alliance as it does not represent how the community of Refilwe feels and that the petition was not signed by the residents of Refilwe,” said Mthethwa’s lawyer in court as he pleased for the release of his client on bail.
Be that as it may Mthethwa was denied bail and will be appearing in court on 3 December 2024. Owami Visagie was a 17-year-old learner at the time of her murder.
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