The 31-year-old man accused of murdering 8-month pregnant Tshegofatso Pule was expected back at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Muzikayise Malephane, from Zondi, Soweto, was arrested on his way from Mpumalanga last week and appeared briefly in court where he was charged with the murder of the 28-year-old woman.
Pule’s body was found hanging from a tree. She had last been reportedly seen alive while getting into a metered taxi which her boyfriend had summoned for her two weeks earlier.
When Malephane appeared in court last week, he covered his face as the media’s cameras tried to get a clear shot and sat in the dock crying before the proceedings began.
Magistrate John Baloyi told him that he had the right to apply for bail, but he declined to apply for it.
Pule’s uncle, who was in court, said Malephane’s arrest was a step in the right direction.
“We have to prepare ourselves for the next chapter of having to attend Tshegofatso’s trial. It is going to be difficult because we will be forced to relive her last memories and even her last moments on earth, but we are preparing ourselves for a difficult journey ahead,” he said.
He also said the family did not know Malephane.
“We don’t even know this person, so maybe if we see him we’ll be able to connect the dots, but as it stands we don’t even know and it’s not even the boyfriend of Tshegofatso, who was arrested,” he said.
He added that the family was still in the dark about the circumstances surrounding Pule’s death.
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