Cape man held for breaching bail terms

Cape Town businessman Rob Packham‚ who is charged with his wife’s murder‚ has been taken into custody after allegedly breaching his bail conditions for the second time.

He is due to appear in court on Tuesday.

Police confirmed on Wednesday that the former beverage company manager‚ who is due to go on trial in February‚ had been arrested.

The high court in Cape Town released Packham under strict conditions in September after an inquiry that found he had breached his bail conditions by contacting his former mistress‚ who is a state witness.

Packham was caught on camera delivering flowers at the woman’s workplace‚ and she complained to the police that he was harassing her.

The court ordered the 57year-old Constantia resident to deposit an extra R25‚000 on top of the R50‚000 he had already paid for bail.

It put him under virtual house arrest‚ allowing him to go shopping once a week and attend church on Sundays.

He had to report daily to the police, contact the investigating officer before leaving home and when he returned, and was ordered to hand over all his communication devices.

Eric Ntabazalila‚ the provincial spokesperson for the prosecution‚ said: “We will ask the court to withdraw his bail‚ as he has breached his bail conditions‚ and for him to be kept in prison.”

It is alleged that Packham killed his wife‚ Gill‚ put her body in her car boot and set it alight at the Diep River railway station in February. –