VINCENZO Pietropaolo (61), the man who is accused of shooting his wife Manuela (Mannie) Giuliana Pietropaolo nine times, is still in custody as his bail was declined.
Mannie (56) was in the process of divorcing her husband when she was shot multiple times at her home in Iris Street, Brackendowns, on November 13, 2017.
Read: BREAKING NEWS: Brackenhurst woman shot dead
He was arrested later that day at his home in Blairgowrie. Police spokesperson Sergeant Linda Maloyi said two firearms were recovered from Pietropaolo’s home. According to sources he allegedly tried to flee to Italy after the crime as he had already bought an airline ticket before the shooting.
Pietropaolo, former treasury head at the Sandton-based Bank of Athens, has appeared a couple of times in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court since the murder. He abandoned his bail application last year and while it was postponed to March 8, he has secured an earlier date for his bail hearing on February 19.
This case was then postponed to March 1 and again to March 6. On March 6 the case was, yet again postponed after the defence’s recusal application. The bail application ran for three days, March 15, March, 19 and March 26.
According to Vanessa Da Silva Faria, the family lawyer, his bail application was an opposed schedule six bail application and evidence needed to be led.
Celeste Louw from the Optimystic Bikers Against Abuse Group told the RECORD that more people should be aware of this incident.
“When we did our walk for Mannie, so little knew about the murder and couldn’t believe that it took place near them,” said Celeste.
“Manuela, better known as ‘Mannie’, was a daughter, sister, mother of three and grandmother. She did not deserve to die in such a brutal manner by a man who simply ‘decided’ it was time for her to go,” said Celeste.
Organisations working in the field of domestic violence Optimystic Bikers against Abuse, Get Up Woman, Rinae Sengani Foundation, Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation and Tears are committed to ensuring justice is served in this case.
Read: UPDATE: Woman (56) shot nine times
Celeste also said that South Africa has a femicide rate five times higher than the global average.
The matter has now been postponed to May 11 for the director of public prosecutions to determine if the matter must be elevated to the High Court or remain in the Magistrate’s Court.
The RECORD will keep readers updated.
Read: UPDATE: Alleged murderer denied bail
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
