A Muizenberg oupa accused of murdering his wife and then staging a house robbery has received representation from legal aid after he ran out of geld for his murder trial.
William Carter, 73, faces various charges for the murder of his wife Franziska, 66, who was killed just days before the couple finalised their divorce proceedings in October 2020.
According to the indictment, the couple lived in Marina Da Gama for many years but in 2015, they separated and William moved to the USA.
Five years later, he returned to South Africa to finalise their divorce but went to his old home in Uitsig Road without Franziska’s knowledge on 16 October 2020.
The State alleges that he entered the house that evening and bludgeoned Franziska to death with a metal bar and left her in the kitchen with a knife in her back.
He then allegedly tried to cover up his crime.
“After killing his wife, the accused staged the crime scene in order for it to appear as if a home invasion had taken place. In an attempt to appear to be a victim of the house invasion, the accused shot himself. The accused thereafter called his mistress and informed her that he had been shot. She in turn informed his daughters,” the indictment states.
On arrival, police found Franziska in the kitchen and William was taken to hospital. But wakker cops from Muizenberg became suspicious as there were inconsistencies in his story.
He was later arrested while recovering at Constantiaberg Mediclinic and after appearing in Muizenberg Magistrate’s Court was released on R20 000 bail.
He returned to the Western Cape High Court on Friday where he was told that his application for a legal aid representative had been successful.
His case was postponed to 28 October for another pre-trial.