THE FATHER-in-law of Dublin man Kevin McGuirk, who was shot dead alongside his wife Kim in a Johannesburg suburb last week, claimed yesterday he killed them because they were going to put him out of the home they shared.
Edwin Poppinger (75) is accused of shooting the 54-year-old Irish diving school boss and his 34-year-old wife in their bedroom in South Africa.
Voluntarily addressing a bail hearing in Alberton, near Johannesburg, yesterday he said: “I shot them because they wanted me out of the house.”
The pensioner’s admission came after magistrate Isaac Mathe invited him to approach the bench so he could hear proceedings.
A detective told the court the couple feared for their lives in the home they shared with Mr Poppinger. Det Sathieseelan Pilay read complaints given by Ms McGuirk just days before the shooting, which were part of the pair’s bid to have her father’s handgun confiscated.
Giving evidence against the suspect’s application for bail, the warrant officer said: “Both the victims were living in fear”.
A restraining order issued on August 11th banned Mr Poppinger from verbally, emotionally or physically abusing the couple, who had been married for five years.
It said he could not enter their bedroom and would be forced to surrender his 9mm Browning shotgun to police. It is understood he had not been served with the papers and therefore still possessed the gun on August 15th when the murder took place.
The court heard Mr McGuirk was shot twice in the neck and shoulder while he slept. His wife was shot in the head.
Det Pilay later found their bodies on the floor, indicating that the pensioner had tried to make it look like the pair had attacked him while awake. He said: “They were lying face down in a pool of blood, about a metre from the bedroom door. We know for a fact that he moved the victims to where we found them.”
Mr Poppinger, in his statement read by defence lawyer Neels Kotze, said: “I respectfully ask the court to take my age into account. I suffer from sugar diabetes, asthma and a benign prostate problem. My girlfriend will pay for bail.” Although no formal plea hearing has yet taken place, the statement added: “I intend to plead not guilty.”
Police said Mr Poppinger, a German citizen, might flee South Africa if given bail.
The magistrate made no decision on bail and postponed the hearing to September 6th.