Woman in court for murder of lover’s grandson
A WOMAN – accused of murdering her lover’s three-year- old grandson – has appeared in a Port Elizabeth court.
Lucricia Connelley, 30, of Booysen Park, is accused of murdering little Ashwin Moses of Chatty, the grandson of her boyfriend, Neil Moses.
It is alleged that when Moses returned to his home in Chatty Extension 11 on Thursday evening last week, his grandson was missing.
The following day, Ashwin’s body was found in bushes a few metres from the family home, police spokesman Warrant Officer Alwin Labans said.
“The child appeared to have been strangled,” he said.
After Connelley was questioned by police at the weekend, she was arrested.
She first appeared in court on Monday for the child’s murder, but the case was transferred to a different court for a formal bail application.
On Tuesday, Connelley appeared before magistrate Sanjani Naidoo and indicated she intended to plead guilty and abandon her bail application.
However, in an about-turn yesterday, Connelley said she was not properly consulted by her Legal Aid lawyer, and told the court she intended applying for bail again.
Appearing in court before Naidoo again, a tearful Connelley clutched a bag slung over her shoulder, while wiping her eyes.
Through a Legal Aid representative, Connelley said she would plead not guilty to the murder charge, because she would not admit to all the evidence against her.
Court records show that she had been charged with murder through an act of premeditation – which she now contests.
Her formal bail application will be heard on December 14.