A man who allegedly rammed his sports car into his estranged wife's car and cut up her bed sheets and lounge suite made a brief appearance in the Umhlali Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Thabo Patrick Megalanyane, 34, was charged with malicious damage to property after the alleged shredding incident at the weekend.
Afterwards, he allegedly rammed his sports car into her Mini Cooper at the boom gate of a plush Ballito estate.
Appearing before Magistrate Njongo Mgobozi, a dejected-looking Megalanyane cut a bleak figure in a vest and a pair of blue trousers.
His attorney, Raeesa Shaik, made an application to withdraw her services as Megalanyane wanted to secure a legal aid lawyer.
His application was however rejected on the basis that he was gainfully employed as an estate agent and earned more than R10,000 per month.
The State was opposing bail as his partner feared for her life.
Megalanyane said he had no access to money and that his family was outside KwaZulu-Natal.
The matter was adjourned and Megalanyane would remain in custody while he searched for a new lawyer or appealed the decision to reject his application for legal aid.
News24 previously reported that the crash was the culmination of a dramatic series of events and that the husband had been arrested.
An independent police source, along with Umhlali police spokesperson Captain Maharaj, said the man and his ex-wife were estranged.
"Before ramming his red Toyota 86 into her Mini Cooper, he allegedly ransacked her house, cutting the bedding sheets and lounge suite up with a knife. The couple were apparently separated and she was seeing someone else," he said.
IPSS Medical Rescue said medics responded to the scene of the car crash and that the woman and "a third party" ran away.
Source: News24
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