A Parkwood man accused of murdering his girlfriend by setting her alight has abandoned his bail application at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.
Joshua Phillips, 29, made his first appearance for the death of his girlfriend Deonay Waigh, 32, on Friday, and he opted to remain in custody after allegedly confessing to his crimes.
Phillips was handed over to police last week after going on the run for nearly a week after the horrific murder.
At the time, Waigh’s cousin Jade Baartman, 26, explained the family was left traumatised after the woman from Pelikan Park died in hospital due to her injuries.
He explained that she had gone to visit her sickly father in Parkwood shortly before Christmas and her family had lost touch with her.
On Christmas Eve, they received a call from Phillips’ family and rushed to the hospital where they were told that Deonay had been burnt.
Baartman explained: “When we got to the hospital, we could still smell the petrol and the doctors tried to save her life. She had 50 percent burns and the doctors said her heart gave in and her lungs collapsed as her organs also burnt.”
The jealous berk also sent a voice note where he confessed to dousing Deonay with petrol and said he had planned to set himself on fire as well.
According to the court records, Phillips informed the Magistrate that he will not be applying for bail and the case was postponed to 13 March.