A man has appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court after fatally shooting his wife, claiming he thought she was an intruder.

Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said the shooting took place on Monday morning.

“A 33-year-old man alleged that he was in his house in Norkerm Park on Monday at approximately 04h45 when he heard steps inside the house and he believed that it was intruders.  He took his licensed pistol and fired two shots and later discovered that he shot his 30-year-old wife who was declared dead at the scene. The suspect was charged with murder pending further investigation,” Masondo said.

The man appeared in court on Wednesday.

His wife left behind their three-year-old daughter and an eight-month old baby boy.

But the family of the deceased is not pleased with the circumstances in which their loved one died.

“We believe her husband has a case to answer. His version of events does not add up. He is claiming that he thought my cousin was an intruder, that does not make sense. My cousin had not left the house. She was dressed up at 4am in the morning. There was no burglary at the house. Why did he open fire twice? It all does not make sense. He really has a case to answer,” said the deceased’s cousin Sinenhlanhla Mhlongo.

Mhlongo described her cousin as a loving and peaceful person who did not have any gripe with anyone.

“She was a bubbly person with pure innocence. In my whole life I had never seen her having an argument with anyone,” she said.

The couple had been together for about three years.

The husband will be back in the same court on August 18 to apply for bail.