'Modimolle monster' and Bonnette 'agreed on sex'

There was an agreement between the man dubbed the "Modimolle monster" and his wife that she would have sex with three men, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Tuesday.

One of Johan Kotze's co-accused, Andries Sithole, testified how he translated Kotze's orders the day his ex-wife, Ina Bonnette, was attacked in his Modimolle home on January 3, 2012.

Francois van As, for Kotze's other two co-accused Pieta Mohlane and Frans Mphaka, said his clients were told Kotze and Bonnette agreed she would sleep with three black men and he would arrange it for her.

"That's what Mr Kotze told me," Sithole said.

He said he translated Kotze's orders to Mohlane and Mphaka.

Kotze is accused of mutilating and orchestrating the gang-rape of Bonnette, and of murdering his stepson Conrad, 19. At the time Bonnette was married to Kotze, but lived in her own flat.

Sithole, Mohlane, and Mphaka are accused of kidnapping, assaulting, repeatedly raping, and attempting to murder Bonnette.

Van As said that when the two men asked why they must sleep with Bonnette they were told Kotze said his wife was not getting enough sex from him, he was too fat, and he suspected her of cheating.

Sithole testified Kotze told him when Bonnette arrived at the house she would act as if she did not know what was going on.

"That's exactly what [Kotze] told me to tell [Mohlane and Mphaka]."

Van As said his clients did not want to have sex with Bonnette. They wanted their money for the day's labour, and to go home.

Sithole agreed with this statement, adding: "This was what caused [Kotze] to become aggressive and angry".

Van As said Kotze then said: "I don't want to hear from a kaffir. They will do what I say or they won't leave this house alive". Sithole agreed.

Van As said his clients felt this was only aimed at them and not Sithole.

"I can't understand why it would only be aimed at them... I am also a kaffir," Sithole said.

The three agreed Kotze forced them, with a revolver, to either hide in the closet or behind the closet door in the room where Bonnette was attacked.

Van As said that according to his clients, Bonnette was already tied to the bed and had her pants pulled down when they were let out of the closet. Sithole disputed this and said all three helped Kotze.

"What happened there was we held Mrs Bonnette down and it was [Kotze] who tied her up."

He said Bonnette was fighting against Kotze and he slapped her.

"He told her: 'Bokkie be quiet. They won't kill you. They are good people'."

Earlier Sithole denied helping to plan Bonnette's rape.

"That's not true," Sithole said when Kotze's counsel Piet Greyling put it to him that he planned the rape, knowing Kotze would not be able to protect Bonnette.

Greyling had submitted to Sithole that he, Mohlane and Mphaka knew Kotze was emotional and tired on January 3, 2012.

"I wouldn't know [if he was tired]," Sithole said.

He also denied Greyling's submission that the three of them did their planning inside the house while Kotze and Bonnette were outside talking.

Before proceedings finished on Tuesday Judge Bert Bam gave his ruling on the State's application to reopen its case.

"My finding is that the application by the State passes."

Bam said he would give his reasons for allowing it at the end of the trial.

On Wednesday, prosecutor Retha Meintjes indicated the State wanted to reopen its case to present evidence about Kotze's criminal accountability in rebuttal of testimony by defence witness Tertia Spangenberg, a clinical psychologist.

She had testified that she did not consider Kotze accountable for his actions. He was dissociated during the attack, and suffered from a number of conditions including narcissistic personality disorder and major depression, she told the court.

The defence opposed the application.

On Monday, Greyling submitted Kotze would be financially drained if the court proceedings were extended.

He contended the State had made an informed decision when it failed to call clinical psychologist Dirk Coetzee, who assessed Kotze at Weskoppies psychiatric hospital, in Pretoria, before closing its case.

The trial was postponed to June 25.