A former Gauteng crime prevention warden (AmaPanyaza) who is accused of killing her gender activist husband has been denied bail.
She was arrested for allegedly burning her husband to death using four pots of boiling water.
During court proceedings on Monday at the Pretoria North magistrate’s court, Catherine Machete, 42, who is facing one count of murder, was told by magistrate Thandi Theledi that she is not a suitable bail candidate.
Machete allegedly scalded her husband, Mokhwakhwa Machete, 46, with boiling water on the afternoon of September 18 in their home in Soshanguve, Pretoria.
Mokhwakhwa succumbed to the injuries in the hospital on September 25.
Mokhwakhwa and Machete were married with three children, aged 22, 19, and eight. Some of the couple’s kids witnessed the incident.
He worked at the Gauteng department of community safety in the provincial gender-based violence and femicide coordination unit.
Pregnant and recovering from operation
Monday’s court proceedings heard bail arguments from Machete’s Legal Aid lawyer Thulani Kekana and state prosecutor Moses Chauke following Machete’s formal bail application after her arrest.
Kekana said Machete should be granted bail because she is “pregnant” and recently had an operation. However, no evidence was presented in court to confirm the pregnancy.
Kekana said despite Machete being held at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre, where there are doctors, nurses and clinics to treat her, the prison is congested and not suitable to house a pregnant woman.
Chauke rebutted Kekana’s reasons and said Kgosi Mampuru prison has qualified medical doctors to treat Machete.
Kekana said the actual cause of death has not yet been established, thus more reason to grant Machete bail.
He said Mokhwakhwa left an estate, noting that the children need to access the estate so that they can survive financially.
Kekana said the children can only access the estate through their mother being released on bail.
Chauke added that based on the testimony of the investigating officer during the bail application, Machete is suicidal and a danger to herself.
Red flag
Chauke said Machete intimidated one of her children after the murder and thus cannot get bail.
Theledi noted that since it is a fact that Machete intimidated one of her children, who is a witness in the case, it is a red flag, and it would not satisfy the interests of justice for her to get bail.
“The accused is suicidal. That is a red flag because the accused might evade trial. Releasing the accused on bail will undermine the public order because the community is up in arms and will not be happy if she is granted bail.
“It is as clear as daylight that the accused is not a clear candidate for bail. Bail is therefore denied,” said Theledi.
There was clapping and cheering from the crowd in the courtroom in response to Theledi’s remarks. The gallery was packed with Mokhwakhwa’s relatives and anti-gender-based violence activists.
After delivering her judgment, Theledi postponed the matter to January 20 for further investigations.
Chauke said police still need to profile the accused and get the postmortem report and medical reports. Machete remains in prison.
Mokhwakhwa’s brother, Andrew Machete, said: “I am happy she was denied bail. Justice has been served. We lost our brother. She must stay inside. She must be given a life sentence.”
Admitted to the ICU
Sunday World is aware that when Mokhwakhwa got home from work on September 18, he opened the door only to be splashed with a pot of boiling water on his face.
“He fell straight to the floor after she poured him with boiling water. This is what the children told us,” according to a source close to Mokhwakhwa.
“While he was on the floor, she poured him with three more pots of boiling water.”
The source said Mokhwakhwa managed to escape and drove himself to the hospital.
“When he arrived at the hospital, he told the nurses on duty that ‘I almost died; my wife burnt me with boiling water’,” said the source.
The source added that Mokhwakhwa was taken to the intensive care unit (ICU), where he remained until his death on September 25.
He was buried in Tzaneen, Limpopo, on October 5.
“We do not know why she poured him with boiling water. Only the wife knows. The man is dead. He cannot speak on the motive behind the attack,” said the source.
The source said the three children now live with their aunt in Akasia, Pretoria, adding that Machete was dismissed from the Gauteng crime prevention wardens after her arrest.
