Murder-accused club cricketer Tristan Perez is due to return to Wynberg Magistrates’ Court this week in connection with the death of Elana Brooke in Cape Town in March.
Perez is scheduled to appear on Friday, 7 August, after previously being released on R5,000 bail. He had earlier been remanded to Pollsmoor Prison after being accused of murdering Brooke, his girlfriend, in Heathfield on 23 March.
The decision to grant bail prompted an angry reaction from Brooke’s family and their representatives. David, Brooke’s ex-husband and a spokesperson for the family, said the case should be viewed not only as a murder allegation but also in the context of gender-based violence.
“This is not only a murder, it’s a gender-based violence murder, it’s femicide and that is even more worrying that someone like that is let out on bail and is free to walk until a trial has been set,” David stated at the time.
He added: “We are very upset as a family, but we will deal with it. He will get his day in court and justice will be served for our beautiful Elana.”
Perez’s next appearance follows a brief hearing at the same court on 2 June. That case was postponed so the State could be given additional time to complete its investigation.
Police arrested Perez in March after suspecting he was involved in Brooke’s death following what was believed to have been a heated argument.
Reports said officers obtained permission to examine Perez’s phone. They allegedly found a recording of an argument that appeared to escalate, leading to suspicions that it ended with Brooke’s death.
Brooke was 46. Perez reportedly told police that she had taken her own life.
The allegations have come against the backdrop of Perez’s long association with Cape Town’s club cricket scene. He had been a regular presence in the city’s cricket community for several years, but his membership of Claremont Cricket Club was terminated abruptly in mid-February.
The club said the decision followed “disciplinary matters arising from conduct deemed to be inconsistent with the ethos, values and spirit of the club.”
Shortly before his arrest, Perez had made headlines on the field by scoring a record-breaking double century for Claremont Cricket Club’s second XI. According to the Club Cricket website, he made 237 runs from 113 balls.
His return to court on Friday will be the latest stage in the legal process surrounding Brooke’s death. No finding of guilt has been made, and the case remains before the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court.
