Arnold Terblanche’s second bid for bail might come to an end soon with both the prosecution and defense saying that they might deliver closing arguments tomorrow, May 11.
Terblanche, whose initial bid for bail was denied as well as an appeal against the decision earlier this year, has been trying to get another chance at bail based on supposed new facts.
During Terblanche’s brief appearance in the Gqeberha Magistrates Court today, May 10, prosecutor, adv. Marius Stander, listed all the information that the defense put forward as being new facts, and dismissed all of them as indeed not being new facts.
Some of these “new facts” presented to court last month, were statements from his first wife, saying that they had a happy marriage and that he never abused her as he was a good husband and father. The so-called new facts also included affidavits from Terblanche’s domestic worker and various others who stated that he had always been a good father and supportive husband and that Vicki was the alleged abuser, not him.
Stander said that all this information from these witnesses was known to Terblanche from the beginning and that he could’ve made use of it earlier on instead of bringing it to court now and stating that they are new facts.
The 55-year-old’s legal representative, Alwyn Griebenow, said that he will still decide whether or not to reply to the state’s argument delivered in court today and continue with this tomorrow.
If not, both the defense and state will deliver closing arguments tomorrow afternoon.
Terblanche, along with his co-accused, Vicki’s boyfriend, Reinhardt Leach and Dylan Cullis, face several charges, including murder, after the body of Terblanche’s estranged wife, Vicki Terblanche, was found in a shallow grave in Greenbushes in October last year.
