Accused denies he killed guesthouse owner
27 September 2007, 09:05
By Caryn Dolley
The man suspected of murdering the owner of a Durbanville guesthouse last year has pleaded not guilty and seems confident and prepared to conduct his own defence.
Cheslin Williams, 22, appeared in the Bellville Regional Court on Wednesday on charges of murder and aggravated robbery.
Asked to plead before magistrate J P Vermaak and assessors Florina Serfontein and Dennis Marshall, he said he was not guilty of either charge.
Vermaak set Williams's trial down for February 5 to 8 and February 19 to 22.
He also asked Williams if he would be conducting his own defence, as he had said at a previous appearance in court that he intended to do.
Williams told Vermaak that he would.
It was noted in the charge sheet that he did not intend calling any witnesses.
Williams was arrested in Elsies River on July 14 last year.
His arrest came a day after Renate Kellerman, 39, was found murdered in her bedroom at her Le Petit Chateau guesthouse.
She had been stabbed several times and was half-naked.
Kellerman's Isuzu bakkie was missing.
Also missing from the guesthouse were items worth a combined R74 000, including a cellphone, digital camera and laptop, and bank cards.
Williams is from Boksburg and is the former boyfriend of Idols winner Karin Kortje from Grabouw.
caryn.dolley@inl.co.za
The man suspected of murdering the owner of a Durbanville guesthouse last year has pleaded not guilty and seems confident and prepared to conduct his own defence.
Cheslin Williams, 22, appeared in the Bellville Regional Court on Wednesday on charges of murder and aggravated robbery.
Asked to plead before magistrate J P Vermaak and assessors Florina Serfontein and Dennis Marshall, he said he was not guilty of either charge.
Vermaak set Williams's trial down for February 5 to 8 and February 19 to 22.
He also asked Williams if he would be conducting his own defence, as he had said at a previous appearance in court that he intended to do.
Williams told Vermaak that he would.
It was noted in the charge sheet that he did not intend calling any witnesses.
Williams was arrested in Elsies River on July 14 last year.
His arrest came a day after Renate Kellerman, 39, was found murdered in her bedroom at her Le Petit Chateau guesthouse.
She had been stabbed several times and was half-naked.
Kellerman's Isuzu bakkie was missing.
Also missing from the guesthouse were items worth a combined R74 000, including a cellphone, digital camera and laptop, and bank cards.
Williams is from Boksburg and is the former boyfriend of Idols winner Karin Kortje from Grabouw.
caryn.dolley@inl.co.za
- This article was originally published on page 6 of The Cape Times on September 27, 2007
Cape Town
