The shock of seeing his brother murdered caused evil spirits to enter the body of alleged housebreaker Nkululeko Tuntubele, the Cape Town Regional Court heard on Wednesday.
The evil spirits had a major impact on his client’s physical condition, defence lawyer Asghar Mia told the court.
After his release on R3 000, Tuntubele absconded and was absent when his case for housebreaking was to start in February.
He remained on the run until police caught up with him nine months later.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, prosecutor Vilakhaya Mgobozi launched an inquiry before magistrate Victor Gibson, into Tuntubele’s absence.
At the same time, Mia asked for the reinstatement of the bail.
However, Gibson ruled that bail money, once it had been forfeited to the state, could be neither refunded nor reinstated, and that Tuntubele would have to launch a fresh bail application.
Mia told the court Tuntubele had gone to a sangoma in the Eastern Cape for the removal of the evil spirits from his body, and for treatment for noises in his head.
Gibson asked why, over a period of nine months, Tuntubele had not contacted court officials or his lawyer to explain where he was and why.
Mia replied: ”He was in the bushes in the Eastern Cape for treatment — out of touch with civilisation.”
Mia said Tuntubele had also consulted two medical doctors about respiratory problems, but neither was able to diagnose the cause or formulate a cure.
Mia added: ”People thought Tuntubele had gone off his rocker because of his continuous conversations with himself, and voices he heard talking to him, and a sangoma said evil spirits were causing the problem.”
Tuntubele’s new bail application is now scheduled for January 4. – Sapa