South African prop Stephanus 'Bees' Roux will plead not guilty to a murder charge after it was alleged he bashed a policeman to death in Pretoria in the early hours of last Friday morning.
Roux was a member of this year's Blue Bulls Super 14 winning side.
Details of the alleged assault are still unclear, but Metro officer Ntshimane Mogale was found by paramedics critically injured and lying in the middle of the street. The 38-year-old died moments late due to extensive injuries he had sustained.
South African newspaper The Citizen reported Roux's lawyer Rudi Krause said, the 28-year-old indicated he had fatally assaulted Mogale 'in a private defence' but will not plead guilty.
Krause, in reading Roux's affidavit, said his client was defending himself against theft and attempted robbery by Mogale.
It was heard that 115kg Roux's credit card was used at a McDonald's outlet about 30 minutes after the accused was locked up for alleged murder and drunken driving at the Sunnyside police cells where he spent a weekend for the charges. Roux was released on R100 000 bail (NZ $18,000).
It was not disclosed why Mogale drove with Roux in his vehicle away from the nearest police station before the incident.
Detective Sergeant Patrick Mafanele told the Pretoria Magistrate's Court that the two other Metro police officers, who were with Mogale, did not witness the alleged fatal assault.
"We do not have any factual information at this stage, but have been informed that the policeman passed away. We would like to express our sincerest condolences to the relatives of the deceased," read a Blue Bulls statement.
While there was no suggestion in court of a racial motive in the killing, Mogale is black and Roux is white, the South African Municipal Workers' Union called it 'racially inspired' in a statement on Monday.
The murder and driving under the influence case against Roux was postponed to October 15 for further investigation.