Fiancee up for man’s murder

The fiancee of a man initially thought to have committed suicide appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on a charge of murder.

The case against Tosca van Wyk was on Wednesday postponed to 23 February for a regional court date, said National Prosecuting Authority Western Cape spokesman Eric Ntabazalila.

Van Wyk is out on bail of R1 000 and faces charges of murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, as well as defeating the ends of justice.

Marius Botha, 45, was found dead in the top floor of his Parklands home in 2016 with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Rapport newspaper reported at the time that he and his fiancee had had an argument that afternoon.

While no foul play was suspected, Table View police had confirmed it was investigating allegations that Botha had fetched his gun during their altercation.

According to Rapport, authorities said Van Wyk had been in a different part of the house when a shot was fired and she had run towards Botha whereafter a second shot went off. A third shot was ostensibly fired when she tried to disarm him shortly after 4pm on Friday 22 January.

Police were informed after 6pm, it was confirmed to the publication.

Rapport quoted sources saying that three unusual inquiries were being probed – an unknown person asking questions about an insurance policy, an e-mail sent to a bank from Botha’s address requesting a transfer of funds after his death and one related to the availability of his death certificate.