The financial woes of Riana Pretorius' ex-boyfriend, her recollection of events on the day she was kidnapped, and why she had become the target of a kidnapping came under scrutiny in the Gqeberha regional court on Tuesday.
Pretorius, who was kidnapped in March last year and released after a R1,1 m ransom had been paid, was in the dock under cross-examination by defence attorney, Wayne Mac Gear.
Mac Gear represents Xolani Kafile who is one of the accused in the case. Kafile and his co-accused, Xolisile Rawutini, have been charged with kidnapping.
He brought up the topic of Carel du Preez, who had been in a relationship with Pretorius for two years before she broke up with him mere days after her release from captivity.
Pretorius told Mac Gear she broke up with du Preez because she was unhappy and needed space to process what had happened.
According to Pretorius, her then-boyfriend kept wanting to know what happened to her even though she had informed him that she was not allowed to speak about the case.
Mac Gear questioned Pretorius about du Preez's business dealings with her Dad and noted that one of his businesses was sequestrated.
Du Preez was the director of Retro Reflective.
In 2016, Hantle Infra Planning (Pty) Ltd and Penny-Farthing Engineering (Pty) Ltd, entered into a written sale agreement with Retro Reflective.
Hantle was to conduct business under a new name, Philock Sign Industries.
Du Preez was however sequestrated after he failed to honour the payment agreements.
During cross-examination, Pretorius told the court that her Dad had previously been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Penny-Farthing Engineering.
Mac Gear asked Pretorius whether she did not find it strange that the ordeal happened a week after du Preez's liquidation and sequestration woes.
In response, Pretorius said she did not know, nor did she think about it.
Pretorius' testimony that she was kidnapped by three balaclava-clad men who wore hoodies was also scrutinized by Mac Gear.
He asked her why the version of an independent eyewitness, who testified that he saw one man grab her and that this man's face was not covered in any way differed significantly from hers.
Mac Gear said the witness was the one who took a photograph of the car she was forced into and who called the police.
"I will argue that you are not telling the truth about what happened," said Mac Gear.
Pretorius responded with: "And I will stand by the fact that I am telling the truth under the word of God."
Mac Gear then pointed out that the state witness in question had also taken an oath to tell the truth.
When asked why she had become the target of a kidnapping, Pretorius said she did not know, because she and her family were normal people who lived normal lives.
The trial continues.
