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Pretoria - André “Smiley” van Wyk, who was charged with the murder of Anika Smit, will apply for bail on January 31.
After the case was postponed in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, his lawyer, Latham Dixon, said they received the results of DNA tests on Monday, Netwerk24 reported.
“We indicated earlier that we would wait for the results before deciding to bring a bail application. After receiving the results, we decided to go ahead with the application,” Dixon said.
He did not want to divulge the results. It is not known yet if the State will oppose bail.
Van Wyk will have to hand in a statement or testify in the formal bail hearing to prove his release on bail would be in the interests of justice.
When Van Wyk entered the courtroom, he turned to his parents and greeted them with a smile.
Anika’s father, Johan Smit, sat quietly in the first row of the public gallery.
Smit, 17, was raped and mutilated in her Theresa Park home in 2010. The Grade 11 pupil at Gerrit Maritz High School lived with her father at the time.
On the day of her murder, she stayed home from school because of an ear infection. She was raped, her throat was slit and her hands were cut off. Her hands have still not been found.
Van Wyk handed himself to police in September and was referred for psychiatric evaluation to determine his mental state.
He remains in custody.
