Alleged genital mutilator denied bail
Genital mutilator-accused Peter Frederiksen's bail application was denied when he appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court today.
“The court is not amused by the attitude displayed by the applicant. The applicant has no ties in the country. His children cannot be regarded as ties because he also has children in Denmark,” Magistrate Marlene Marais said.
She said there is a likelihood he could intimidate witnesses.
"The applicant said he has businesses in the country but does not have documents to validate the claims."
Marais said Frederiksen has multiple travelling documents and has no regard for the South African justice system.
Being investigated for wife’s murder
Frederiksen, dressed in a white T-shirt and green pants with a maroon jersey tied around his neck, remained seated in the dock when his application was denied.
Dozens of the ANC Women’s League lined the benches behind him in the gallery.
Frederiksen, 63, faces charges including assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, manufacturing child pornography, distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, conspiracy to murder and bigamy.
He is being investigated for the murder of his wife, 28-year-old Anna Matseliso Molise, who was gunned down in Lesotho following his arrest. She was expected to be a key State witness in the case against her husband.
Last week Frederiksen was cross-examined by prosecutor Amanda Bester, during which he claimed to have learnt of his wife’s death through the media.
Witnesses ‘scared’
During his bail application, the court heard that the Danish national had allegedly made threatening phone calls to witnesses.
The State opposed bail, arguing that he was a flight risk.
“There is no control on the movements of the accused and... there are two witnesses who now say they are scared,” Bester said.
“He will not stand trial because he has no ties in South Africa. He deliberately failed to disclose information about his family in Denmark. He provided us only with information about his deceased wife and his children.
“The reason we charge him with conspiracy to murder is because the deceased was killed in Lesotho and he managed to operate while in custody," Bester said.
But Frederiksen's lawyer Nthama Litabe said his client had nothing to hide and no witnesses would be threatened.
The matter was postponed until January 13 for further investigation.
(File photo: Gallo Images)