The murder trial of Lotus River mom Abenise Bowes has been put on hold due to the legal representatives not being available.
This emerged at the Western Cape High Court on Monday as her ex-husband and murder accused, Dwight, returned to the dock.
He is accused of the 2017 murder of Abenise, who was found buried in a shallow grave behind the couple’s home just days after he had reported her missing to police.
Dwight was arrested two years later after detectives spent more than a year collecting statements from relatives.
According to the indictment, Abenise had filed for a divorce which was granted on January 20, 2017, and had also obtained an interim protection order against Dwight.
“The deceased and accused continued living in the same residence after the divorce was finalised. The deceased informed the accused and her friends that she wanted to move to a place of her own.”
The indictment says after dropping her children at school on March 30, Abenise and Dwight argued and she was never seen alive again.
Dwight reported her missing at Grassy Park SAPS and her body was found buried in a shallow grave near their home on April 2, 2017. The cause of death was blunt force trauma.
On Monday, Judge Nathan Erasmus explained that while the State was ready to proceed, Dwight’s lawyer was busy with another matter for the next two days. Dwight told the court that he understood and had taken leave from work to attend the trial.
The matter will resume on Wednesday.
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