The trial of mother and daughter Christine and Chantell Russouw, accused of being instrumental in the brutal murder of semi-retired electrician Petrus Scholtz, is expected to start on Tuesday in the Port Elizabeth High Court, after the state asked for time to consult with its first witness, who is a sentenced prisoner.
State prosecutor Marius Stander told judge Elna Revelas that due to Covid-19 restrictions it had been difficult for the state to consult with a witness, who was not named, but that arrangements were made for consultation to take place on Monday afternoon.
Christine, 57, and Chantell, 37, face charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. They have not yet pleaded.
In November 2020, alleged mastermind behind Scholtz’s murder, Wayne Russouw, 33, who is Christine’s son, pleaded guilty to murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
In October 2020, Ronald Swartz, also accused in orchestrating the murder, also pleaded guilty.
Swartz received an effective 25 years behind bars and Wayne was handed a life sentence after he detailed how and why the plan to murder Scholtz came about at the Kabega Park home, when they called him out to fix a geyser.
On Monday, Stander told the court that the state’s first witness would be the sentenced prisoner.
Stander suggested to the court that the proceedings be heard in Afrikaans as most of the state witnesses were Afrikaans speaking but an interpreter would be required for record keeping purposes.
Revelas ordered that the trial be heard in English with an Afrikaans interpreter available.
HeraldLIVE
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