Murder accused allegedly threatened to kill ex-wife and family

FAMILY members who were allegedly threatened by the man accused of murdering Mandy Bailey have branded him a liar.

The accused, Alberto Matthews, allegedly shot and killed his ex-wife in front of his nine-year-old stepdaughter and pointed a firearm at his 20-year-old stepdaughter and brother-in-law in Kimberley on December 27, 2023. A protection order had previously been issued against him.

According to Matthews’ version of events, he met Bailey at the Diamond Pavilion Mall on the day of the alleged incident, where it was agreed he could fetch his clothes and other personal belongings from Bailey’s home in Main Road, Beaconsfield.

His legal representative, advocate Obakile Loyalty Morake, told the Northern Cape High Court this week that according to Matthews, he was welcomed at the front gate by Bailey and later sat in the living room while she gathered his belongings.

“While he was waiting, he became involved in an argument with her brother, Wesley Bailey. During the commotion, Mandy Bailey came out of the room and tried to intervene as her brother and the accused were wrestling,” Morake said.

He added that his client was not carrying a firearm and had no reason to attack anyone in the house.

“While they were wrestling, a gunshot went off and killed Bailey. Matthews has no knowledge of where the shot came from. He was also not aware of the whereabouts of anyone else in the house at the time.”

Morake added that Matthews denied assaulting Mandy Bailey in November 2023.

Wesley Bailey, who was inside the house at the time of the incident, testified that Matthews was not welcome there, as his sister was afraid of him.

He said he emerged from his room and was approached by Matthews, who was carrying a firearm.

“He pointed the firearm at me and I ran towards the storeroom. I heard a click and something hit the tiles,” he said.

Erin Cupido testified that shortly after leaving a cup of tea on her mother’s bedside table, she heard two loud bangs.

“I was in the bathroom when I heard my younger sister screaming, ‘Mommy has been shot!’ I ran out of the bathroom and saw the accused running in my direction with a gun. I heard a click and saw something fall to the floor where Alberto was standing. It could have been a bullet. I was scared and ran back into the bathroom.

“My sister kept screaming, ‘He shot Mommy,’ and I found my mother in her bedroom. She was still breathing and I saw blood. We were later informed at the hospital that my mother had died.”

She said she recalled Matthews leaving the house through the back door. 

“The door was not locked as the gate was broken.” 

A niece of the deceased, Amy Topuz, told the court she had noticed bruises on her aunt’s body after she was assaulted a month before she was killed.

“I lived with my aunt and my room is next to hers. Following the assault, I heard the accused telling the deceased that he would kill both her and Erin.”

She said Cupido had previously asked Matthews to leave the house.

“At the time of the incident, I heard a few loud bangs. I heard my cousin running and shouting, ‘He shot my mother!’ I saw the accused at the kitchen door carrying a firearm. As I walked towards him, he shouted ‘julle ma se p**ste’ (swearing at us) and ran out the back door.”

She added that her father, Wesley Bailey, ran after Matthews. 

Topuz indicated that it was possible to jump over a 1.8-metre-high wall at the back of the yard to enter or leave the property.

“The accused could not have entered through the front gate because no one opened the motorised gate for him. The front door and gate are always locked.”

The case continues before Acting Judge Olivier. Advocate Leshnee Pillay is appearing for the State.