Murder suspect wants own cell

MARIO-CESAR DEUS YELA, the Spanish dentist accused of killing his twin children made a brief appearance in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Looking frail, he wore a dark black jersey and blue jeans and sat quietly looking around the court.

Yela, 48, faces two counts of murder.

He is accused of killing his 3-year-old twins at a rented holiday home in Hout Bay. The bodies of the boy and girl were found by their mother, Julia Engelhorn. Following Yela’s arrest, he was involved in a stabbing incident, the details of which are unclear, in which he was injured.

His lawyer, William Booth, again made an appeal that his client be kept in a single cell, saying Yela was constantly interrupted while being examined by his psychiatrist.

Booth also argued that the defence had had insufficient evidence to arrest Yela or ascertain his emotional state at the time of his arrest.

According to State prosecutor Louise Sampson, Yela had written a letter to the prison authorities asking to be moved.

Yesterday magistrate Goolam Bawa refused to have Yela moved to a single cell.

The matter was postponed to May 10.