Alleged wife murderer, Arnold Terblanche, will be in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court again tomorrow, April 7 where he will be launching another application for bail, based on new facts.
This is Terblanche’s second attempt at being released on bail and his intention to reapply was revealed on his appearance in this court last week Monday, March 28.
The 55-year-old, who appeared very casual in a jeans and grey T-shirt during last week’s appearance, was denied bail in January this year.
One of his main arguments during his bail application that lasted almost three months about why he should be granted bail, was the fact that he was the primary caregiver of the 12-year-old son whom he shared with Vicki.
He also said that he was concerned about the psychological wellbeing of the child.
However, it was found by the court that Terblanche, who was arrested in November last year, might attempt to flee to evade his trial. Magistrate Kriban Pillay also said during the judgement that since Terblanche knew the identities of the witnesses, he might try to influence or intimidate them if released on bail.
Bail was subsequently refused.
Terblanche and his legal team took to the Gqeberha High Court to appeal the judgement of no bail but this was also dismissed early last month.
The matter was postponed to tomorrow, April 7.
Standing in the dock next to his co-accused, Vicki’s boyfriend, Reinhardt Leach, and Dylan Cullis, Terblanche was full of smiles and blew kisses to his girlfriend, who was sitting in the gallery.
She took off her mask and smiled back.
Magistrate Abigail Beeton wanted to know why Leach and Cullis were also at court when only Terblanche needed to be present.
She was told by Ryno Scholtz, Cullis’s legal representative, that it was for logistical purposes that all three be kept together during appearances.
“I am not persuaded that accused one and two (Leach and Cullis) should be brought to court every time. It makes no logical sense to do this every time. Things should go the normal course of events. I am not persuaded that there is something exceptional about this case,” Beeton said.
She continued to explain that the normal legal procedure would be for the accused not applying for bail, to stay at prison until they are needed in court again.
Scholtz explained that part of the reason for this is that Cullis is being held at the North End prison, unlike the other two, because he was underage (under the age of 21 years) when he was arrested.
It was then revealed that he is now 22 years old and not 24, as previously stated.
Terblanche, Leach and Cullis face charges ranging from murder and conspiracy to commiting murder, among others, after Vicki’s body was found in a shallow grave, in Greenbushes, in October last year.
She was allegedly suffocated with a pillow and/or strangled and drugged with schedule 6 medication, Percocet.
She had allegedly also been robbed.
