Cape Town – A man accused of stabbing his wife 30 times, allegedly in front of their five-year-old daughter, is fighting to stay out of jail as the case has reached its eighth year on the court roll.
The trial is currently under way at the Mitchells Plain Regional Court where Donovan Titus is charged with the August 2015 murder of his wife, Candice Titus, at their home in Mitchells Plain.
The couple’s daughter is also a key state witness in the case.
On the fatal night, Titus sustained stab wounds to his body and was treated medically where he was fed via a tube and was heavily sedated.
The State is set to prove Titus stabbed Candice repeatedly and apparently sent text messages to a male relative about what he had done.
Linda Jones of the Mitchells Plain Residents Association said the case has been dragging on for years and that the family deserves justice.
Jones has been attending proceedings and is part of the court and said the accused had to consider his daughter who was also a victim.
“They are trying to find the doctor who worked at Groote Schuur Hospital and she no longer works there, the case is still a trial within a trial which is sad state of affairs,” said Jones
“He pleaded not guilty and said he can't remember,” she said.
“I want to just say to the accused and his defence, be it as it may he knows the truth and so does God.
“But above all of this, his young child bears witness to this horrific event and if not for anyone else, he should consider the effect it has on his child and their relationship and at the end of it all what value of truth is portrayed by him and that is very disturbing because of this he is causing a bigger rift between himself and his child.”
Siya Monakali of Ilitha Labantu, an organisation which advocates for the rights of women and children said they are calling for recourse and intervention by authorities to see that cases do not spend years on the court roll.
“We are deeply concerned by the high number of gender-based violence and femicide rates that drag in court for many years without any conviction,” he said.
“We cannot claim to be making any real progress in the fight against the scourge if our justice system continues to fail victims of GBV (Gender Based Violence)..
“As an organisation we strongly appeal to the National Prosecuting Authority and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for an urgent intervention in cases of this nature.”
Candice’s family could not be reached for comment.
The case reached a state of a trial within a trial via a medical report and notes which had been written by a female doctor who had seen Titus while he was a patient at Groote Schuur Hospital.
It’s alleged Titus had allegedly spoken of the merits of the case to the doctor.
Titus has since denied speaking with the doctor and claimed he had only spoken with his lawyer about the case.
He further claimed that he had experienced periods of confusion, hallucinations and dizziness while being on morphine.
He previously stated that he was administered Tramadol upon being discharged from hospital and that he could not speak due to being fed via a tube.
The case continues with a trial within a trial and the new location of the doctor to be determined.