It was a happy marriage, Kotze tells court

Pretoria -

The so-called “Modimolle monster” Johan Kotze and his ex-wife Ina Bonnette respected each other, he told the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday morning.

He is accused of assaulting Bonnette, killing her son and forcing his workers to gang-rape her.

“It was a happy marriage. The problems we had came from outside,” Kotze told the court.

He wore a beige jacket and jeans, and spoke calmly. His lawyer Piet Greyling asked the court if he could have some water.

“We had respect for each other,” Kotze testified.

However, he said they broke up several times before getting back together again. He obtained a protection order against Bonnette after their second break-up, but went back to Modimolle on November 19 to try to reconcile with her.

The couple discussed the possibility of renting a house together, he said. He rented the house on his own in Modimolle.

“We decided to see each other in secret, to keep the relationship from her parents for the time being... Our focus was Christmas and New Year, when it is family time. Then she would re-introduce me to her family.”

On Monday, Greyling told the court he would argue non-pathological incapacity as a defence, even though three psychiatrists had found Kotze fit to stand trial.

The State closed its case on Monday on condition it could call expert witnesses to testify on Kotze's accountability. Greyling said he would object to this, and argued the State should call witnesses before closing its case.

Acting Judge Bert Bam said the matter would be dealt with if and when it arose. “We will cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Kotze, Andries Sithole, Pieta Mohlane and Frans Mphaka are accused of murdering Kotze's 19-year-old stepson Conrad Bonnette at Kotze's house in Modimolle on January 3. They are also accused of kidnapping, assaulting, repeatedly raping, and attempting to murder Ina Bonnette earlier that day.

A plea of not guilty was noted on Kotze's behalf after he refused to enter a plea, and claimed his accountability and ability to follow and contribute to court proceedings were in question.

His three co-accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges. They claimed Kotze forced them to take part in the attack on Bonnette and said they had only pretended to rape her.

Bonnette testified Kotze tortured her with various objects before instructing the other three to rape her. She told the court she listened to her son pleading for his life before he was shot in the head and heart. - Sapa

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