‘Killer’ ditches bail bid

Accused in girlfriend murder gives no reasons in court for abandoning his application

MPHO Thobane, the man accused of carrying out the gruesome killing of his girlfriend, will not be released from jail pending the outcome of his murder trial.

This was after the murder accused startled the Joburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday by abandoning his bail application.

He is accused of dousing his girlfriend with petrol and setting her alight.

Thobane, 27, made a brief appearance yesterday. He is accused of arson and premeditated murder following the killing of 32-year-old Viwe Dalingozi.

His Legal Aid lawyer said Thobane had decided not to apply for bail, and no reasons were provided.

The State alleges that Thobane carried out the murder of Dalingozi inside their Joburg apartment last month, apparently after an argument over Dalingozi greeting her ex-boyfriend.

Thobane allegedly waited for Dalingozi to fall asleep before carrying out the attack.

The accused had previously denied visual coverage by the media of his trial, asserting that he wanted Dalingozi’s dignity to be respected.

Thobane fled to Limpopo following the incident, but was arrested in Mokopane a few days later.

When he made his first appearance in court last week, Thobane still had what looked like minor burn marks on the right side of his face.

Police spokesperson Xoli Mbele said in a statement last week that Thobane had an argument with Dalingozi.

He is alleged to have then poured petrol over her while she was sleeping on the bed before burning her.

“Her flat was also burnt and firefighters extinguished the fire,” Mbele added.

The State asked for a postponement to December in order to get a forensic report on the chemicals used in killing Dalingozi.

Magistrate Van der Schyff granted the postponement.

Dalingozi will be buried in the Eastern Cape this weekend.

She would have celebrated her 32nd birthday this past Monday.

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