The man accused of killing Gqeberha mother Vicki Terblanche has brought an application to apply for bail.
Reinhardt Leach and his co-accused Arnold Terblanche made a brief appearance in the city's High Court on Friday.
Leach, 35, abandoned his bail shortly after his arrest in October of 2021 and has been in custody for two years and seven months.
Leach, who was Vicki's boyfriend at the time of her death, is accused of drugging her with a Schedule 6 drug before suffocating her with a pillow and dumping her body in a shallow grave.
During Friday's court proceedings, Leach's new legal representative Advocate Jodene Coertzen, told Judge Bulelwa Pakati that her client wanted to bring a bail application.
It is not yet clear on what grounds the application will be brought but seeing that Leach is facing a Schedule 6 crime, he would have to show exceptional circumstances as to why he should be granted bail.
Meanwhile, Vicki's estranged husband Arnold Terblanche, who is currently out on bail of R1 million was dressed more casually on Friday compared to the pin-striped suits he had worn in previous court appearances.
As Leach was brought into court from the holding cells the two men greeted each other with a smile.
His legal team also applied for further particulars.
All parties asked for the case to be postponed to the 31st of May for the state to consider their stance, particularly as it relates to Leach's request for bail.
In closing Terblanche's lawyer Peter Daubermann complained to Judge Pakati that a trial date had already been set for the 9th of October 2024 and that they have since been informed that the date has been changed.
Daubermann said he wrote to the Deputy Judge President as his client is perturbed by this agreement as they were never approached.
Vicki's body was found in a shallow grave in Greenbushes on the outskirts of Gqeberha, just days before her 43rd birthday.
It is the state's case that Leach, Dylan Cullis, who took a plea deal with the state in exchange for an 18-year prison sentence, and the state's star 204 witness, Mario De Ridder Jr killed Vicki, before wrapping her body in a duvet and stuffed it in a car.
The trio is also accused of going go-carting with Vicki's body in the boot of Leach's BMW while they hatched a plan to get rid of her body.
The state will call a witness who will testify how he was approached to dig a shallow grave before Leach and De Ridder dumped her body.
To catch up on this case you can listen to the Algoa FM News Exclusive Podcast: Journey to Justice
