JOHANNESBURG – The accused in the Kirsten Kluyts case will be spending Christmas behind bars.
Thirty-four-year-old Kluyts was raped and murdered while taking part in a MyRun event in a Sandton park in October.
A 21-year-old student is being charged with the crimes.
His bail hearing was expected to be wrapped up in the Alexandra Regional Court on Wednesday.
But the court postponed the matter to next week Friday.
READ: State identifies time frame in which it believes Kirsten Kluyts was killed
After several hours on his feet, the accused’s advocate, Itumeleng Masako, on Wednesday afternoon wrapped up his closing arguments.
It is now the state’s turn to respond.
However, public prosecutor Ayanda Bakana asked for a postponement.
He said following Masako’s lengthy address, he needed more time to clear up certain issues.
Masako objected to the postponement, arguing that bail applications are by nature urgent, and that his client’s liberty hangs in the balance in the meantime.
But the court granted the postponement.
The matter will now only resume on the 29th of this month, for the state’s closing arguments and the magistrate’s ruling.