Cousin accused of raping, killing Owami Visagie abandons bail application

Chris Mthethwa, accused of killing his 17-year-old cousin Owami Visagie last month, abandoned his bail application when he appeared in the Cullinan magistrate’s court outside Pretoria on Thursday. 

Mthethwa, 30, faces a charge of rape and murder.

Visagie was a grade 11 pupil at Chipa-Tabane Secondary School in Refilwe, Cullinan.  

It is alleged that on March 24 Mthethwa had arranged to meet Visagie.  

“Later that day at about 8pm, Mthethwa went to fetch the deceased from her boyfriend’s home and went with her to his empty employer’s house. He was employed as a gardener. When they arrived, it is alleged Mthethwa raped and killed the deceased,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said. 

She said Mthethwa went to Visagie’s home at 10pm pretending to be looking for her.

The next day Visagie’s mother started looking for her and went to the boyfriend’s home to ask about her whereabouts. The boyfriend told the family she left with Mthethwa.  

Police discovered Visagie’s body at Mthethwa’s employer’s home with her hands and feet tied and a cloth inserted in her mouth.  

Mthethwa handed himself over to police when he heard they were looking for him.

After he abandoned his bail application, the case was postponed to May 21 for further investigation.   

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