Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)

Critical evidence not in docket

- MAHIRA DUVAL monique.duval@inl.co.za

CRITICAL DNA evidence taken at the murder scene of slain Vredenburg siblings Faith and Conray Adams was never entered into the police docket, the Western Cape High Court has heard.

The shocking revelation was made amid a recall of the investigat­ing officer at the instructio­n of Judge Pam Andrews before judgement can be handed down for alleged child killer, Derick Kalmeyer.

The 28s gang member from Vredenburg known as “Slang” returned to court yesterday where further questions were posed by Andrews to Sergeant M Mbovane.

According to the state’s case the 54-year-old man was in a relationsh­ip with the children’s mother, Frizaan, and allegedly got into a heated argument with her and a friend on 1 May 2019. The two women allegedly fled the “hokkie” out of fear leaving the siblings behind.

During the shocking trial it was revealed that three-year-old Faith had been stabbed 19 times while 18-month-old Conray was stabbed 14 times and had skull fractures which were presumably caused by being flung through a glass window.

Mbovane shocked the court when he revealed for the first time that a suspected murder weapon was taken for DNA testing as well as a bloody hoodie but that he had never given the results to the prosecutor.

While being questioned by Andrews, Mbovane admitted that a knife which had possible touch DNA as well as a hoodie found inside the home and the bedding from the bed where the siblings were stabbed, had been taken to the forensic labs.

He claimed that he had given the report to state Advocate Bulelo Koti, but came under fire when he faced further questions.

Koti asked Mbovane to state on the record when he provided the report. “Can you confirm that since the murders on 1 May 2019 you were in charge of this case and in possession of the docket? Can you confirm that while previous prosecutor­s had also requested the report it was never entered into the docket?”

Mbovane shocked the court when he noted that he waited long for the report to be sent to him and further stated that he never understood the report and could not comment on the contents.

Defence advocate Bash Sibda objected saying there was a clear lack of communicat­ion between the state and the investigat­ing officer as he laid blame at the feet of the Director of Public Prosecutio­ns, Nicolette Bell, saying the matter was sent to trial while

an important report was outstandin­g.

“This matter was signed off by Nicolette Bell as trial ready.”

It is also believed that fingerprin­ts were lifted from various objects in the home but the investigat­ing officer had no idea what the outcome of the tests were. Andrews postponed the case to 28 February for judgement.

 ?? MAHIRA ?? ALLEGED child killer Derick Kalmeyer has landed in hot water at the Western Cape High Court after the state revealed that he wrote a letter while in prison confessing to “deeply hurting” the mother of slain siblings, Faith and Conray Adams, and seeks forgivenes­s. |
MAHIRA ALLEGED child killer Derick Kalmeyer has landed in hot water at the Western Cape High Court after the state revealed that he wrote a letter while in prison confessing to “deeply hurting” the mother of slain siblings, Faith and Conray Adams, and seeks forgivenes­s. |

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