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Frederiksen's former lawyer allegedly bribed witnesses - State

Bloemfontein - Alleged genital mutilator Peter Frederiksen's former lawyer Luthando Tshangana allegedly bribed two witnesses to testify in his favour, the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.

Investigating officer Lynda Steyn told the court during Frederiksen’s bail application that the witnesses were paid R2 000 each.

This came to light when one of the witnesses confessed to police that she had been offered money to testify in favour of the Dane.

During cross-examination, Frederiksen's new lawyer Deon Pool asked Steyn why Tshangana had not been arrested.

“Because I have not arrested him,” she replied.

Pool said he would present financial statements to the court indicating that his client had enough money to buy property which could be used as surety for his bail application.

Murder

READ: State's case on alleged genital mutilator weak - lawyer

The papers would be submitted to the State on August 12.

Frederiksen, 63, was expected to appear in the High Court in Bloemfontein on August 26 for a pre-trial conference.

His bail application was postponed to August 29.

He faces 59 charges, including assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, possessing unregistered medicine, possessing unlicensed firearms, distributing and possessing child pornography, conspiracy to murder, and bigamy.

Frederiksen was arrested on September 17 2015, after 21 clitorises were found in the freezer of his Langenhoven Park, Bloemfontein home.

He is also being investigated for the murder of his wife, 28-year-old Anna Matseliso Molise. She was shot four times next to the gate of her house in Maseru, Lesotho, on October 20 2015.

She would have been a key State witness in the case against her husband, the Hawks said at the time.

During previous court appearances, the State said Frederiksen allegedly hired wheelchair-bound Motlatsi Moqeti, 31, to have Molise killed. He allegedly had contacts in the criminal underworld.

Frederiksen told the court previously that he learnt of his wife’s death through the media. The State told the court that a witness and phone calls linked Moqeti to the killing.

However, on June 12, the State withdrew charges against Moqeti in the Bloemfontein Regional Court. Prosecutor Amanda Bester did not give reasons for the withdrawal in court. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said there was insufficient evidence against Moqeti.

He remains in custody in relation to other matters.

In May, the Hawks seized more than 1 600 firearms, explosives and hand grenades, from Frederiksen’s gun shop in Bloemfontein.

According to a police spokesperson, the firearms were confiscated on suspicion that Frederiksen might have used them for other crimes. About 75 firearms had no valid licences.

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