A former school teacher accused of killing his girlfriend Vicki Terblanche was denied bail in the Gqeberha High Court on Tuesday.
Reinhardt Leach, 35, brought a bail application almost three years after his arrest for his alleged involvement in Vicki's death.
Initially abandoning his bail, and going through several legal representatives, he eventually indicated on 30 October 2023—his intentions of applying for bail through his former Legal Aid attorney Johan van der Spuy.
Nine months later under the legal guidance of Jodene Coertzen, the bail application gained momentum and was heard in the High Court on the 17th of July 2024.
Leach said he understood his constitutional rights, complained about conditions in prison and said he would comply with any restrictions placed on him before the courts.
As a former teacher, he wanted to work to make a positive contribution to the economy and swore not to interfere with state witnesses.
Besides complaining about the ablution facilities at the prison and his lack of regular access to his legal representation, Coertzen conceded that her client was facing serious charges and was in no way running away from the state's case against him.
She admitted to Judge Mandela Makaula that Leach's circumstances were not unique but that he had the right of "innocent until proven guilty".
Judgment was to be delivered on the 4th of July but postponed to the 30th .
Judge Makaula, in his judgment, rehashed the arguments of both the State and the applicant before finally concluding.
He said according to the state's evidence, greed led to the plan to kill Leach's co-accused Arnold Terblanche and when this could not pan out, Leach quickly switched his allegiance to Arnold.
Makaula said it would appear Leach changed at will with a disposition to violence. Evidence further suggests that plans were made to get drugs and then dispose of Vicki's body, showing that Leach was capable of concealing the truth.
He said there was undisputed evidence that Leach lied when he reported Vicki as missing, claiming that he had looked for her at every drug post in the city.
"Knowing all the drug posts shows he knew these areas," said Makaula.
In closing, Makaula made mention of Leach pointing the finger at Dylan Cullis, who is already serving time in prison after taking a plea deal with the state, not thinking that Cullis would spill the beans and lead police straight to Vicki's body.
He said the State relies on phone messages where different phones were used with different SIM cards, implicating that Leach is untrustworthy and able to conceal the truth, even from Vicki, who believed he loved her.
Makaula said his decision, in no way, showed Leach's guilt but bail was refused.
Both Leach and Terblanche will be back in the Gqeberha Court on Wednesday for a possible new trial date to be set.
Vicki's estranged husband Arnold Terblanche is currently out on bail of R1 000 000. 00
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