New trial for wife’s murder

The trial of a 40-year-old man charged with beating his wife to death with a rock and stabbing his son is to start from scratch.

Dene Stebuys made a brief appearance in the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth yesterday where the case was postponed for a new trial date.

Stebuys’ trial got under way in May last year, but was postponed several times because the presiding judge, Phakamisa Tshiki, was ill at the time.

In October last year, Stebuys was refused bail in the high court in Port Elizabeth.

However, he was subsequently released on bail because of the lengthy postponement of his trial.

Stebuys breached his bail conditions and was rearrested.

But he was released on bail again by the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court.

A new state prosecutor has since been assigned to the case and a new trial judge, Irma Schoeman, will preside over the matter.

Less than a month before Marilyn Stebuys was murdered, she had obtained an interim protection order against her husband as she feared he would kill her and their children.

The children are now in the care of their grandparents and both testified as state witnesses last year.

The children will in all probability be called to testify again in the new trial.

Stebuys faces one count of murder, two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and a charge for contravening a protection order.

The state alleges that on June 5, 2016, Marilyn Stebuys was walking with Jonathan Gabani near a sports complex in Humansdorp when her husband suddenly appeared and attacked Gabani.

According to the state, when Marilyn refused to go with her husband, he grabbed hold of her and battered her with a rock.

Marilyn’s body was discovered dumped in bush near the sports complex.

The state alleges that before the fatal beating of his wife, Stebuys also stabbed his son, Denwin, 16, with a knife. He attacked the teenager when he attempted to diffuse a volatile situation.

The case was postponed to today. – ANA

Less than a month before Marilyn Stebuys was murdered, she had obtained an interim protection order against her husband as she feared he would kill her and their children. Evidence put before court in the murder trial of Dene Stebuys