The court proceedings in the case against the alleged killer of Johannesburg teacher Kirsten Kluyts took a heated turn as the defence and the presiding officer clashed.
The accused, a 21-year-old college student, appeared briefly at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Friday. The defence had planned to launch an appeal application against a previous judgment that denied the suspect bail in December last year.
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The charges against the accused include rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and premeditated murder in connection to Kluyts’ death.
During the proceedings, state prosecutor Ayanda Bakana informed the court that investigations were still ongoing and requested a postponement.
Bakana also mentioned that DNA results were still pending. Both the state and the defence agreed to return to court on 10 May, which was granted by Magistrate Renier Boshoff.
However, when the accused’s lawyer, Advocate Itumeleng Masako, attempted to address the court, the magistrate interrupted, causing frustration for the defence lawyer.
Masako expressed his displeasure, stating that he had the right to address the court and accused Boshoff of disrespecting him in the past.
The defence lawyer threatened to report Boshoff to the Magistrate’s Commission, highlighting the need for professional treatment and respect towards legal practitioners. Boshoff responded by telling Masako that his conduct was enough.
The postponement of the proceedings and the heated exchange between the defence and the presiding officer added further tension to the already high-profile case.
As investigations continue and DNA results are awaited, the court will reconvene in May to address the bail appeal and move forward with the trial.Kluyts, a Delta Park High School teacher, was attacked while taking part in a MyRun event in Sandton on October 29, 2023.
The 34-year-old’s body was discovered at George Lea Park in Parkmore after she disappeared. Her running shoes, sunglasses, blue T-shirt, pants and pink cap were all taken.
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According to investigating officer Aubrey Tshisani’s affidavit, Kluyts might have been killed within eight minutes of arriving for the race.
The victim was 14 weeks pregnant at the time of the murder.
A preliminary post-mortem study found that Kluyts’ genital organs had no obvious evidence of injury, but the court believed that “the absence of external injuries does not exclude rape”.
