Pretoria - The husband of slain police graduate Botshelo Phora told the Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court that he bludgeoned his wife on the head and eventually strangled her in self-defence.
Thuso Phora said it was in fact he who had been repeatedly abused by his wife, whom he claimed left him alone to care for their sickly 4-year-old daughter.
He told the court through his legal counsel, advocate VE Viviers, that he was suffering from depression and receiving psychological intervention to deal with prison conditions while incarcerated at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre.
Phora claimed that he was frustrated that his pleas for his wife to request a transfer at work in order to come home and be a wife and mother to their child constantly fell on deaf ears.
Yesterday he requested to be granted bail, as should he not be released, his employment with the Department of Correctional Services would be in jeopardy and lead to him losing his medical aid benefits, which assisted his daughter.
He requested that bail be set at R5 000 and promised that he would abide by any bail conditions set by the court.
The State, on the other hand, pleaded with the court to deny him bail and detailed how the promising future Phora had was snuffed out prematurely over a disagreement over conjugal rights (sex).
The State indicated that it had a strong case against the accused with statements, WhatsApp messages and voice notes Phora had sent to his friend and brother, saying he had made a “mistake” and would kill himself.
Moreover, it stressed that it was unfair for the accused to paint his wife in a negative light as she was no longer alive to defend herself.
The State also said Phora was a coward as he did not attempt to call emergency services or any family member to assist his wife after attacking her, and he even went to the extent of taking poison to evade taking responsibility for the crime.
A petition was also handed into the court from the community, with demonstrations held outside by community members, friends and the ANC Young Women’s desk demanding that bail be denied.
The State asked the court to deny bail and highlighted that gender-based violence and the scourge of femicide had become so prevalent that cases of this nature often carried a sentence of life imprisonment.
“He is the one who killed his wife for refusing to have sex with him or touch him.
“This matter is so serious that the director of public prosecutions has already made the decision for the case to be tried in the high court and not regional, and if convicted to spend life behind bars.
“Also, it is unlikely that a man of his stature was abused by his wife, who is much smaller.”
Judgment for the bail application was postponed to Tuesday, March 7.
Pretoria News