Milton Williams, 28, is accused of stabbing 19-year-old Dwayne van Coller to death at the Kim-by-Nite nightclub on Christmas Day last year.
THE CASE of murder accused Milton Williams, 28, will resume in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court today after his bail application was postponed on Friday.
Williams is accused of stabbing 19-year-old Dwayne van Coller to death on Christmas Day last year.
Van Coller, from Colville, was stabbed at the Kim-by-Nite nightclub during the early hours of December 25, 2021. He was rushed to the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital, where he died on the same morning.
Witnesses claimed that Williams stabbed Van Coller before other patrons, brandishing beer bottles, intervened and chased him to his car and he fled the scene.
Williams, who went on the run, handed himself over to the police on January 17.
A large group of Colville community members arrived at court on Friday to oppose Williams’ bail bid.
They carried placards calling for justice and many wore black or pink T-shirts bearing a picture of Van Coller.
Most of the community members could not enter the courtroom due to the Covid-19 regulations.
The investigating officer (IO) in the matter, Sergeant Modise Moshotloa, opposed bail, highlighting safety concerns for Williams.
Moshotloa told the court that Williams’ safety could not be guaranteed, based on how he was chased from the scene of the crime, as well as the anger of the community members who were opposing bail.
The IO made reference to a previous court case where the accused was shot right in front of the court after being granted bail.
Moshotloa presented the court with a petition drafted by the community members who were opposing bail.
The court meanwhile questioned whether there was any proof that the accused would interfere with witnesses.
This was after it came to light that Williams had apparently approached one of the witnesses and asked him to testify on his behalf.
According to Moshotloa, Williams was nowhere to be found after the fateful incident on December 25.
“I went to his home on January 12, 2022 and could not speak to anyone because the gates were locked and the fence was high. I called out his name but no one came out. But, I noticed that there was someone inside the house who could see me, because the curtain moved,” said Moshotloa.
“I went to the house again on January 15 and found his father, who took me to his girlfriend’s place, where they thought he was. We did not find him there either. That is when I left a message for him to contact me.
“I later received a call from his legal representative informing me that he will hand himself over at the police station.”
The case will resume on Monday afternoon.
