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Slain Johannesburg school teacher Kirsten Kluyts’ cause of death was blunt force head trauma, strangulation, smothering and pressure to the neck.
That’s according to a postmortem report that was revealed in the Alexandra Magistrates' Court on Wednesday during the bail application of the man accused of her rape and murder.
Kluyts, who was 14 weeks pregnant with a baby boy at the time of her brutal murder on 29 October, was attacked at George Lea Park in Parkmore, Johannesburg, after she took part in the MyRun event. The 34-year-old’s naked body was found by runners who participated in the event.
READ: ‘I’m not a criminal and that’s for sure,’ says Kirsten Kluyts’ alleged killer
The man accused of attacking her is a 21-year-old Varsity College student who was nabbed by police on 29 November after he was seen on CCTV walking out of George Lea Park wearing Kluyts’ blue T-shirt and carrying her other clothes that she was wearing on that fateful day.
Postmortem report
The accused’s lawyer, Advocate Itumeleng Masako, read out Kluyts’ postmortem report in court that was provided by the State. The report indicated she suffered multiple injuries, including blunt force trauma to the head, strangulation and pressure to the neck, with an undetermined cause of death.
The report also revealed that the Delta Park High School teacher’s pelvis was still intact, with no obvious injuries to her genitalia.
Video footage
Earlier, there was tension in court between the State and the defence. Masako challenged the CCTV video footage taken near the crime scene that the State is relying on as part of its evidence.
The video, which has not yet been shown in court, allegedly shows the accused following Kluyts and jumping over a locked gate. It further shows the accused apparently throwing away some of her clothes near a drain.
READ: Accused insists Kirsten Kluyts was already dead when he found her, stole her clothes
Masako argued that the State was not being fair to his client because the previous prosecutor who was assigned to the case said the video footage would not be used in court but pictures of the crime scene.
He said:
“Therefore, any finding made by this honourable court hinging on the video footage shall be found to be assailable.”
State prosecutor Ayanda Bakana argued that whatever was discussed between the defence and the previous state prosecutor no longer stood since he took over the case.
He argued that the court was dealing with a bail application and that all evidence should be considered by the magistrate in determining whether the accused should be set free while awaiting trial.
Bakana stated:
While the accused has not formally pleaded in court, he has maintained his innocence as he faces charges of rape, robbery with aggravating circumstances and premeditated murder. These are schedule six offences, which means that for him to be granted bail, he has to show exceptional circumstances to the court on why his release is in the interest of justice.
The State is opposing his bail application, arguing that his release would cause a public outcry from activist organisations that deal with issues related to gender-based violence and femicide.
