One month on, Evans' bail bid continues
Evans is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Vanessa van Rensburg, at his Oyster Bay holiday home during the Easter weekend.
And as the Gqeberha entrepreneur continues to fight for his freedom, defence attorney Paul Roelofse is expected to continue with his cross-examination of the lead investigator, WO Xolile Kato.
Court proceedings were off to a slow start on Monday morning as the court waited for the father of three to be transported to Humansdorp from St Albans Prison, where he is being held.
Evans faces a Schedule 6 charge of premeditated murder.
It is the state's case that he beat 36-year-old Van Rensburg to death with an object likened to an alcohol bottle.
Her body was discovered during the early hours of April 20.
Evans has meanwhile maintained his innocence.
During cross-examination last week, Roelofse questioned Kato's investigation of the matter.
Highlighting some of the alleged short sightings, Roelofse said no measurements were taken of the broken bottle found at the scene to compare to Van Rensburg's wounds.
He said while the bottle was shown to the pathologist, she had not conclusively stated that it was indeed the weapon used.
Roelofse further challenged the state's version that Evans had attempted to clean up the crime scene.
The court heard further that on the day Van Rensburg's body was found, Kato had already ruled out forced entry or a robbery.
Another point of contention was Kato's decision to seize Evans' cellphone despite the state initially denying that the Gqeberha entrepreneur was told he was a suspect from the outset.
The Herald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
3 hours ago
- The Herald
Severed hands, 'tongue' found outside Verulam primary school
A newspaper delivery person made a gruesome discovery outside a primary school in Verulam, north of Durban, on Wednesday: two human hands severed at the forearm and wrapped in a bloody white cloth. Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) responded to the call from the employee, who reported seeing either animal or human limbs. Rusa's owner Prem Balram said officers made the grisly find along with an organ, thought to be an animal tongue lying on a shattered piece of Perspex or glass. 'We cannot say with certainty whether the hands are from the same person, even though one is darker than the other, or whether they were male or female,' he said. 'Also with regard to the organ — it looks like an animal tongue but sometimes human organs can swell. The forensic team will have to make that determination.' Balram said it seemed as if the items were dumped on the side of the road, outside the school Trenance Park. Officers were conducting a search in the area for a body. TimesLIVE
The Herald
3 hours ago
- The Herald
Police searching for five after robbery at Metlife Mall
Gqeberha police are on the hunt for a group of five who robbed a sports shop at the Metlife Mall on Wednesday morning. The incident happened at the Sportscene store on the corner of Samantha Way and Kabega Road at about 11am. Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the investigation was being conducted by the provincial serious and violent crimes unit in Gqeberha. Janse van Rensburg said that, according to preliminary information, the store manager had been with two shop assistants at the time of the incident. 'One female suspect entered the shop, followed by two male suspects. 'One of the men threatened the manager and his assistants with a firearm,' Janse van Rensburg said. One of the men and the female accomplice had started taking items of clothing from the rails and placing them into bags. 'Two more suspects entered the shop and also took clothing and walked out of the shop. 'The five suspects fled in a white Kia Picanto.' Janse van Rensburg urged anyone with information that could assist the police in their investigation to contact detective Lieutenant-Colonel Mondi Sitole on 082-457-2812, Crime Stop on 08600 1011, or the nearest police station. Anonymous tip-offs can also be communicated via the MySAPS App. All information is confidential, and callers may remain anonymous. The Herald
The Herald
3 hours ago
- The Herald
AKA murder trial set down for July next year after judge scolds lawyers
The state and defence have agreed on a follow-up date for a pre-trial conference in June next year, with a murder trial for rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes and his celebrity chef friend Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane scheduled to sit the following month. This comes after a morning of high drama at the Durban high court on Wednesday where judge Jacqueline Henriques lambasted the parties for the slow pace of pre-trial conference proceedings. 'I am not signing the matter trial ready. This is in discussion with the office of the judge president,' said an irate Henriques. Forbes and Motsoane were gunned down at the now defunct Wish restaurant in Florida Road in February 2023. Thabani Mkhwanazi, 30 Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, 35, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, 21, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, 36, and Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Ndimande, 29, were arrested in February last year in connection with the deaths. Deputy director of public prosecutions Lawrence Gcaba said the state was withholding statements of additional witnesses for safety reasons.
