File
The 34-year-old man who is accused of firing shots at a Gqeberha couple, killing the woman, was denied bail in the New Brighton magistrates court on Tuesday.
Lizo Gqamlana is charged with the murder of Marlene Prinsloo and the attempted murder of her boyfriend Juan Landsberg after luring them to his home in June this year.
After a lengthy application, the court denied bail to Gqamlana and said it was not in the interest of justice that he roam the streets of Gqeberha freely.
Gqamlana utilised Landsberg's tow truck services at Kings Beach and made a partial payment before asking the couple to follow him to his house in New Brighton where he would pay the difference.
Instead of paying the difference, Gqamlana allegedly fired shots that fatally wounded Prinsloo and wounded Landsberg.
During a previous appearance, the investigating officer asked the court to refuse bail and said the accused was linked to the crime scene through video footage.
His defence then brought an application to ascertain that it was indeed Gqamlana who was seen on the video footage, but that was denied by the court on Monday.
On Tuesday during the continuation of the investigating officer's cross-examination, Gqamlana’s attorney disputed the video footage linkages and said his client was not at the scene when the shots were fired.
The court heard that the accused was out on parole and broke parole conditions when he allegedly committed the crime and therefore, his parole has been revoked.
In motivating why he should be granted bail, Gqamlana's attorney asked the court to take into consideration that he is the primary caregiver of his stepchild and the breadwinner for his girlfriend.
The defence also told the court that at the time of the offence, Gqamlana's girlfriend was pregnant with twins, who have since passed away because she has been stressed by his incarceration.
The case has been remanded to the 26th of September for further investigation.
