Bloemfontein

Genital mutilator-accused Peter Frederiksen made phone calls while he was being detained to threaten witnesses, a court heard on Friday.

Prosecutor Amanda Bester said the State opposed bail to the Danish national for several reasons, including the fact that was being investigated for his wife’s murder and threatening phone calls two witnesses received.

His wife Anna Matseliso Molise was set to be a State witness before she was gunned down on 20 October.

Last week, part of his bail hearing was held in camera, reportedly to protect witnesses.

“There is no control on the movements of the accused, and also there are now two witnesses that now say they are scared,” Bester said.

“He will not stand trial, and the reason for that is because he has no ties in South Africa. He deliberately failed to disclose information about his family in Denmark. He only provided us with information about his deceased wife and his children.”

Bester added: “The reason we charge him with conspiracy to murder is because the deceased was killed in Lesotho and he managed to operate while in custody, and the phone calls that our witnesses received.”

Frederiksen, dressed in a white t-shirt and green trousers, sat in a packed court amid a heavy police presence.

Dozens of African National Congress Women’s League members lined the benches behind him.

‘Nothing to hide’

Frederiksen’s lawyer Nthama Litabe argued that the accused had nothing to hide and no witness would be intimidated.

“No witness would be intimidated because other than the wife who passed away, no-one can speak in his favour,” he said.

On Thursday, Frederiksen took the stand in his bail application after pleading not guilty to nine charges including assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, manufacturing of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, conspiracy to murder and bigamy.

Frederiksen allegedly sliced off the sexual organs and kept them in a freezer as trophies.

His case was postponed to November 20 for a ruling on his bail application.

Meanwhile, Frederiksen cried in court on Thursday as he spoke about his wife’s death.

Wiping away tears, the Dane told the court, as he took the stand in his bail application, the first time he had heard of his wife’s killing was when he read about it in newspapers.

However, prosecutor Amanda Bester said: “I put it to you that you are part of the conspiracy to murdering … your wife and the reason why you did that is because she knew too much.”

Frederiksen declined to comment, except to say: “You don’t have any evidence that suggests I murdered my wife and I am not going to assist you.”

However, Bester persisted, asking him if he had a relationship with the Lesotho Mounted Police to which Frederiksen replied: “Yes, I do have a relationship with them, but what happens in Lesotho does not affect South Africa.”

Bester also asked Frederiksen about a cellphone found in his possession in prison.

It was Bester’s version the cellphone was used to contact witnesses who were now in witness protection.

Frederiksen told the court he had used the cellphone to check on his children’s welfare.

Asked how he had access to a cellphone, he said matter-of-factly: “Anyone in prison can have access to a phone if they desired.”

He went on to tell the court he did not have naked photos in his house as police alleged.

“They were just pictures of half-naked women and my wife liked pictures. She is the one who took pictures of her sister,” he said.