Rugby player in court for murder

THE LOCAL rugby player who has been accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend before turning the knife on himself, made a brief appearance in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court yesterday, after spending nearly two weeks in hospital.

The accused, Siyanda Gxwati, 32, who had multiple staples across the entire front of his throat when he appeared in court yesterday, will remain in custody until his next appearance after the matter was remanded until Friday, when the state intends to oppose his formal bail application.

Friends and family of well-known local chartered accountant, Refilwe Letebele, who bid their final farewells to the 28-year-old over the weekend following her death at her family home in Barkly Road on the morning of Friday, January 12, filled the court yesterday for what was expected to be a schedule five application for the release of the accused for the duration of the trial.

However, the application had to be set aside until the end of this week after the investigating officer in the matter was not informed that yesterday’s proceedings would be more than a first appearance and was not available to testify in the application. The matter was further delayed after an application to photograph the accused was made by the public broadcaster.

While Gxwati has a constitutional right to appear before a magistrate within 48 hours of his arrest, his hospitalisation, following his arrest, prevented this from happening.

Gxwati received medical treatment at Mediclinic Gariep after he apparently attempted to stab himself and slit his own throat.

He was scheduled to appear on Monday, January 15, but the matter was remanded to yesterday, in his absence, in order to provide him adequate time to recuperate from his injuries in hospital.

He was discharged from Mediclinic Gariep on Monday morning, ahead of yesterday’s appearance.

Letebele’s murder caused a massive public outcry and resulted in a march in protest against femicide and domestic violence last week.

This followed a request by the father of the deceased, Norman Letebele, not to let his daughter’s death be in vain, but to let it serve as a cautionary tale for women who are in abusive relationships.