Hopes for a Diepsloot guilty plea

THE NATIONAL Prosecuting Authority says it “hopes” the remaining man accused of kidnapping, raping and killing two toddlers in Diepsloot will plead guilty.

Charges against his four coaccused were withdrawn in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Magistrate Len Miller then postponed the case to November 27 for further investigation. The fifth man will remain in custody.

Recently appointed National Director of Public Prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana told reporters outside the court that the fifth man had confessed to the killings.

“What is comforting is ( that) accused number five has confessed to the murders although he hasn’t done it in court,” he said.

“We are hoping that in time, after consulting with his legal representative, that he will plead guilty to the charges, and we are hoping to secure a conviction of three murders.”

This was because, through the investigation into the killings, the man had been linked to the murder of another toddler, Anelisa Mkondo, in September.

“That investigation is still under way, but in terms of the DNA evidence, there is a connection to that,” Nxasana said.

He pleaded with community members not to take the law into their own hands once the four other men were released.

Earlier, State prosecutor Matric Lupondo said the evidence showed the four men were not in Diepsloot at the time of the rape and murder of two-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her three-year-old cousin, Zandile Mali.

”(The arrests were) based on the evidence available at the time, which was basically ( that) the rape and murder of the kids was near the residence they reside (in),” Lupondo said.

“There was no eyewitness, nor any evidence linking the accused one, two, three and four to the crime.” – Sapa