Central SA
#Stella double murders: Accused back in court─── 09:17 Thu, 07 Mar 2019
The trial of a 19-year-old man accused of killing two Stella School girls is expected to resume at the North West High Court in Mahikeng.
This after it was postponed by Judge Ronald Hendricks on Monday. The request for the postponement was made by his defence after the state indicated it had new evidence.
Both 17-year-old Sharnelle Hough and 16-year-old Marna Engelbrecht were found dead at the school hostel in May last year.
Xander Bylsma is accused of killing the two teenage girls, whose bodies were discovered in May. It initially appeared as if the two had committed suicide.
However, it was later alleged that Bylsma may have strangled the two with his own hands. Hough is reported to have been in a relationship with the accused.
He was denied bail as it emerged that he is a flight risk based on the evidence presented before the court.
The state has presented a letter he wrote to his mother that he plans to flee to Botswana.
