The man accused of orchestrating the murders of his partner and her nine-year-old son in Alberton was denied bail in the Palm Ridge Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
Freddie Stapelberg, 34, is facing two counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder after information came to light about his alleged involvement.
In November last year, his partner Nadine Terblanche and her nine-year-old son Ruandre Voster were hacked to death at their home.
A spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Phindi Mjonondwane says the state successfully argued that Stapelberg was an unsuitable candidate for bail.
She says Senior State Advocate Riana Williams said if granted bail it would undermine the proper functioning of the criminal justice system and that the accused is likely to interfere with the ongoing investigations as most of the state witnesses are known to the accused.
She further submitted that considering the serious nature of the offences against the applicant, which carries the imposition of a prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment, coupled with the fact that the applicant now knows how strong the State’s case is against him, would be an inducement to abscond or evade his trial when released on bail.
The first person to be arrested in connection with the double murders was Terblanche's gardener, Pardon Danhire, who confessed to authorities by pointing out Stapelberg as being the mastermind.
Danhire says he was hired by Stapelberg to kill Terblanche to gain access to her assets in the event of her death.
