The 35-year-old man accused of dousing his girlfriend with paraffin and setting her alight in Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga, has been denied bail in the local magistrate’s court.
Kholofelo Nonyane appeared in court on Monday, on a charge of attempted murder.
He was arrested two weeks ago in Shatale, Bushbuckridge, where he had been allegedly hiding since December in 2019.
His girlfriend sustained serious burn wounds and she is still in hospital.
NPA Mpumalanga Spokesperson Monica Nyuswa says the case has been postponed to September 4 for further investigation.
“The reasons for his bail to be denied is that the state [case] is strong, the offense the accused committed is of a very serious nature. The state is of the view that if the accused is released on bail he can interfere with the witnesses in the matter. Also if the accused can be found guilty a stiff sentence can be imposed,” explains Nyuswa.
Death penalty
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) says it is time to consider introducing the death penalty as punishment for certain gender-based violence crimes.
IFP MP Mthokozisi Nxumalo made the call as he condemned the rate at which gender-based violence was affecting women and children.
He participated in a Parliamentary debate on the scourge of gender-based violence.
Nxumalo also called on various sectors of society to intensify the campaign against the violence.
“Possibly it might be a time to revisit the death penalty so that those who violate and steal the lives of innocent women in our country have to forfeit their own lives. Honourable House Chair, the IFP calls on government, political parties, civil society, and faith-based organizations and all South Africans who refuse to stand by as this war on women and children in our communities take place, [to] come together to fight this gender-based violence,” explains Nxumalo.
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