One month on, Evans’ bail bid continues

Exactly one month since his arrest, the formal bail application of murder accused Rob Evans is set to continue in the Humansdorp regional court on Monday.

Evans is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Vanessa van Rensburg, at his Oyster Bay holiday home during the Easter weekend.

And as the Gqeberha entrepreneur continues to fight for his freedom, defence attorney Paul Roelofse is expected to continue with his cross-examination of the lead investigator, WO Xolile Kato.

Court proceedings were off to a slow start on Monday morning as the court waited for the father of three to be transported to Humansdorp from St Albans Prison, where he is being held.

Evans faces a Schedule 6 charge of premeditated murder.

It is the state’s case that he beat 36-year-old Van Rensburg to death with an object likened to an alcohol bottle.

Her body was discovered during the early hours of April 20.

Evans has meanwhile maintained his innocence.

During cross-examination last week, Roelofse questioned Kato’s investigation of the matter.

Highlighting some of the alleged short sightings, Roelofse said no measurements were taken of the broken bottle found at the scene to compare to Van Rensburg’s wounds.

He said while the bottle was shown to the pathologist, she had not conclusively stated that it was indeed the weapon used.

Roelofse further challenged the state’s version that Evans had attempted to clean up the crime scene.

The court heard further that on the day Van Rensburg’s body was found, Kato had already ruled out forced entry or a robbery.

Another point of contention was Kato’s decision to seize Evans’ cellphone despite the state initially denying that the Gqeberha entrepreneur was told he was a suspect from the outset.

The Herald