The trial of Bafana Mahungela, the student accused of killing Sandton teacher Kirsten Kluyts, is expected to begin in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
Kluyts, a teacher at Delta Park High, was killed and her body dumped on a jogging lane in George Lea Park in Sandton on October 29, 2023.
She had participated in an athletic event on the day of her murder, but failed to finish the walk.
Mahungela was arrested at a student residence in Parkmore in November 2023.
He faces charges o kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, attempted rape and defeating the ends of justice.
After three failed bail applications, Mahungela remains behind bars.
The post-mortem report revealed that the cause of death was blunt-force head trauma and strangulation, and that smothering or pressure to the neck could not be excluded.
According to the State, it took approximately eight minutes to inflict those injuries and end her life.
During the first failed bail application, Magistrate Syta Prinsloo said the accused disposed of the victim's clothing, potentially eliminating valuable evidence, and was unable to report his discovery to the South African Police Services (SAPS), either directly or anonymously.
“The court thinks the applicant took deliberate measures for protection, eliminating any evidence that could incriminate him.”
IOL News