Local business owner awaits bail

A PROMINENT local business owner, who is in court facing several charges, is still waiting on the court to decide whether he should get bail or not.

Regulations on what to wear, hair length and what type of food to consume were allegedly some of the restrictions the 34-year-old accused imposed on his life partner and their minor children.

This was revealed in a statement from the complainant during the bail application of the accused this week.

The accused appeared in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court where his bail application started on Monday.

Warrant Officer Attie Brouwers, who read the statement of the complainant, said that the statement was 10 pages long and indicated several reports of the alleged abuse the complainant had suffered at the hands of the applicant over the years.

According to the statement, the complainant and the applicant had been staying together since 2011.

In the statement, the complainant said that the alleged incidents of abuse, which included verbal and physical abuse, occurred in the presence of the minors.

“The applicant had strict rules. I was not to wear any short or long pants. I also was not allowed to cut my hair short and should let it grow long. He told me each day that women were bad and that Eve was from the devil. Women cannot function without men because they lack value. He said men should lead the women,” the complainant said in the statement.

She added they had to follow a strict diet and the children were not allowed to have any sweets or chocolate or even take-away food.

She stated that while on holiday the applicant ordered only water for her and the minors and allegedly mocked the children as he sipped on a milkshake.