A 31-year-old Peter Bila was remanded in custody until Wednesday, 28 August 2019, for formal bail application when he briefly appeared in the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court in Tlhabane on Monday, 19 August 2019, in connection with murder, two counts of attempted murder, arson and malicious damage to property.
Bila’s court appearance came after he was arrested on Friday, 16 August 2019, in Rustenburg North. It is alleged that Bila doused a house in which he allegedly found his 37-year-old girlfriend with another man inside, with petrol and set it alight.
Furthermore, the accused allegedly set alight the victims’ vehicles; a blue Volkswagen Polo and a black Hyundai that were parked outside. Allegedly, a 13-year-old teenage girl who fled from an adjacent room sustained severe burn wounds after a petrol tank of one of the vehicles exploded. Investigation into the matter is underway.
The Cluster Commander of Rustenburg, Major General Arthur Adams condemned the incident and lauded the police for their quick response that led to the arrest of the accused. He urged members of the community to solve their disputes in a peaceful manner rather than resorting to violence.
