Bail denied in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court for suspect who allegedly kills wife

Ulrich, a security supervisor at Transnet and former police officer, faces charges of murder after he allegedly shot his 39-year-old wife, Tebogo, 10 times, killing her, before turning the gun on himself in an apparent attempt to end his own life. The incident took place in Stonehenge on May 14.

The state opposed bail and argued that it was a schedule six offence, and that the alleged murder of Tebogo was premeditated. “Premeditated does not mean months, it can be planned in minutes,” the state argued.
The court ruled in favour of the state and denied Ulrich bail. He will be back in court on August 3, pending further investigation.

The court based its decision on Section 4 of the Criminal Proceedings Act, where, in exceptional circumstances, there is the likelihood that the release of the accused will disturb the public order or undermine the public peace or security.

“When the accused accessed his firearm, what did he have in mind? Shoot birds, together with his wife?” said the presiding magistrate.

Evidence by the investigating officer, Michael Horn, who was cross-examined in the same court on Friday, revealed that Tebogo was shot at least nine times, in both legs, in both arms, in the abdomen and in the back.

“One does not do that by accident,” the magistrate said. “It is not in the interest of justice, to grant bail,” the court ruled. Ulrich will therefore be kept in custody.

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The state further said that, contrary to what the defence argued, the accused will be able to clean his own wounds, and if not, a nurse will be able to do so in the prison’s sick bay.

“The children, aged four, nine and 14, were in the house,” the magistrate said, and took trauma into account before denying bail. “It will induce shock if the accused is released, and the safety of the accused will be in jeopardy.”

Financial losses, and those that will suffer because of them, and the massive backlog of court cases, as well as the time it will take for ballistic results to return due to the current Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, were some of the other factors taken into account when considering to release the accused on bail.

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Defence attorney, Coert Jordaan, was of the opinion that exceptional circumstances justified the accused to be released on bail and called the case weak. He indicated that his client would plead not guilty.

He reiterated the backlog in the criminal court, especially in the High Court of Mpumalanga, where the trial would probably not commence within at least the
next year.