PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The man accused of raping and murdering Plettenberg Bay hospice nurse Penny Cumming earlier this week denied he is guilty in the Knysna Circuit High Court, despite forensic evidence linking him to the crime.
Gcobani Lokwe, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, is accused of raping and killing the 63-year-old Schoongezicht Country Estate resident in January last year.
He was arrested on 30 January where he was allegedly hiding near a school in Kwanokuthula, following the grisly discovery the previous day.
Cumming's naked and bruised body was found on the floor of her home by a friend. Her home was ransacked and her Volvo SUV missing. The partially destroyed vehicle was found near Nekkies in Knysna later that day.
It was subsequently established that Cumming had also been raped and that the cause of death was strangulation.
Lokwe is currently in custody after he was denied bail in the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate's Court in February last year.
DNA links accused to the crime
During the trial, a forensic pathology report confirmed that DNA evidence collected during the police investigation placed Lokwe at the scene of the crime.
Several witnesses took the stand during the trial, but this week it was Lokwe's turn. Lokwe said that he did not rape or murder Cumming.
About his DNA at the scene of the crime, Lokwe said he had had consensual sex with Cumming and that when he left she had still been alive. He further said the forensic evidence found at the scene was planted there by authorities.
He admitted that he had been under the influence of methamphetamines and alcohol at the time of the incident, but that this did not cloud his thoughts. During the course of his testimony, Lokwe repeatedly referred to Cumming by her first name until judge Patrick Gamble told him it was "highly disrespectful" and that he should refer to her as Mrs Cumming or the deceased.
Closing arguments by the State and defence are scheduled to continue this week.
Lokwe is currently facing several charges including rape, murder, malicious damage to property, assault, burglary with the intent to rob and murder, and defeating the ends of justice.
The crime sent shockwaves through the Plettenberg Bay community which led to several protests against his release on bail. A massive petition also formed part of the action, with 5 000 people throwing their weight behind it. The matter was subsequently transferred to the high court where the trial is continuing.
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