UPDATE: Brooklyn husband insists he didn’t kill “missing” wife
Prem Basdeo said he was also concerned about his wife’s whereabouts and that keeping him in custody would cause him 'further emotional pain'.
The Pretoria magistrate’s court today heard the bail application of a Brooklyn man accused of murdering his wife, whom he had earlier reported as “missing”.
Prem Emmanuel Basdeo (58) denied murdering his wife and insisted that he was also searching for her.
In a statement that was read to the court he wrote:
“I deny that I murdered my wife. I do not know where my wife is and don’t know whether she is dead or alive.
“My wife is still missing and I am also searching for her.”
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Basdeo asked that he be granted bail since he did pose a flight risk, nor would he interfere with investigations.
His said his wife’s disappearance had weighed heavily on him and keeping him in custody would cause him “further emotional pain”.
Basdeo was arrested on Thursday 14 June after he reported his wife Dawn (57) missing.
Dawn’s silver Mercedes Benz SUV was found abandoned in Soweto two days after her disappearance.
Her body was yet to be found.
The state indicated its intention to revisit a previous case in which the accused was implicated.
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Basdeo was previously acquitted of murdering his first wife, Neetha, after she was found dead in a shipping container in which they lived while their house was being refurbished.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Kagiso Ranchu said the state was in no position to present its arguments as it was still finalising its investigation.
Before the bail application, the magistrate made it known to Basdeo that “no lies would be tolerated”.
He was warned that should the court find that he made false statements, he would face criminal charges.
The bail application was remanded to 20 July 2018, when the state is expected to present its case.
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