The husband of Charlene Pretorius, who is accused of setting her on fire, appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court today to face charges of murder.
Charlene Pretorius case update: Husband returns to the dock
Stephan Pretorius, 38, made his first court appearance on charges of murder for the alleged killing of his wife, Charlene Pretorius, on 27 May 2023.
The courtroom in Pretoria North was filled with emotions of sadness and anger from Charlene’s family and friends as Stephan was formally charged.
His legal representative has indicated that he will apply for bail.
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The incident reportedly took place in front of the couple’s children.
The case has been postponed to 26 July 2024 for a High Court date.
What happened to Charlene?
Charlene Pretorius, 42, was allegedly set on fire by her husband, Stephan, in a violent act that shocked the community.
The incident occurred on Saturday, 27 May 2023, after Stephan allegedly poured petrol over her and ignited it while they were in his car.
According to family accounts, Charlene had recently sued Stephan for divorce, which may have escalated tensions between them.
On the day of the incident, Charlene’s step-grandfather, Willie, called her son Jason around 14:00 to inform him that “petrol was poured over his mother and she was set on fire.”
The family rushed Charlene to the hospital, but despite their efforts, she succumbed to her injuries on Sunday around noon.
A family friend and reliable source revealed that the couple’s daughter saw the entire incident.
Willie, Nellie, and Ania, who were inside the house at the time, heard Charlene’s screams and ran out to find her engulfed in flames. They managed to transport her to the hospital, where she was in severe pain until her death.
Stephan fled the scene after the incident but was apprehended by members of Proshield Security on the N1 highway between the Stormvoël and Zambezi toll gates.
The police arrived shortly after his apprehension and took him into custody.
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