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TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Suspect in Likhona Fose murder was previously convicted for attempted murder
The Roodepoort magistrate's court heard on Wednesday that the suspect in the case of murdered teenager Likhona Fose was previously convicted for attempted murder and armed robbery. The smiling Mduduzi Trevor Mnisi, 39, appeared in court on a charge of premeditated murder. His previous conviction was disclosed by his Legal Aid lawyer Asanda Qwabe, who said the case was from 2007. Mnisi was taken in for questioning on Monday before being arrested. Despite this week's cold spell, his lawyer said he had not been allocated a bed nor a blanket when he was taken to the Krugersdorp prison. His case was remanded to June 18 for a bail application and further investigations. Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the state needed time to gather evidence. 'He is charged with premeditated murder, which falls under the offences within the ambit of schedule six. As the NPA we will oppose his release on bail,' she said. The state did not yet have adequate information about Mnisi. 'Investigations are ongoing. As the NPA we are not in a position to divulge at this stage whether he had previous or pending cases, and neither can we confirm at this stage that he was released on parole,' she added. Fose, a grade 8 pupil at Ikusasalethu Secondary School in Braamfischerville, Joburg, was found deceased on June 1.
eNCA
08-05-2025
- eNCA
'It's been hell' - Mum relays painful fight for justice after child's rape
File: A sign left as a protest against gender violence at the scene of a rape and murder. GettyImages/RapidEye Editor's note: Pseudonyms have been used to protect the identity of a minor JOHANNESBURG - A Gauteng mother is torn between fighting for her daughter and walking away from a justice system she believes has let her family down. For the past three years, Maria Ngcobo* and her husband, Ben Ngcobo*, have been seeking justice after their nine-year-old daughter, Palesa*, who was raped, allegedly by her school principal. The incident reportedly happened in 2022, months after the family relocated from Pretoria to Johannesburg. Palesa was six years old at the time. Maria says the principal, who also managed the school transport, dropped Palesa off at home after 6pm – much later than usual. She noticed something was amiss when the child entered the house with the zip of her trousers down. "When I questioned her about it, she began crying. I stopped asking and began assisting her to undress. That's when I noticed her underwear was wet," Maria recalls. She contacted a female teacher from the school, but when the woman could not help, Maria turned to her neighbour, who took them to a nearby clinic. An examination confirmed that Palesa had been raped. Maria says at first Palesa was reluctant to disclose who had violated her. She later told the police, after they made it clear that she was safe with them. "She said it was him who did that and he threatened to kill her and the entire family if she ever told anyone," Maria recalls. The principal was arrested and later found to have been running an unregistered school and using a fraudulent ID. The man was released on bail. Maria and Ben say the case has been plagued by delays, changes in investigators, allegations of evidence tampering, and issues with DNA testing. They also claim to have been followed by suspicious vehicles, leading them to relocate multiple times for safety reasons. "I am frustrated. I was even telling my husband let's just drop this case because one day we will lose our lives. It cannot be that a rape case has been dragging since 2022. We have done everything in our power, but we are sent from pillar to post. The justice system has failed us," Maria says. She has noted a change in her daughter's behaviour since the incident. Maria says the child is not coping well in school, has become very distant and is no longer the bubbly Palesa they used to know. Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane confirmed that a rape case had been opened and that the matter was before the Germiston Magistrate's Court. She said the accused was charged with rape and contravention of the Immigration Act. She directed the family to register any questions or complaints with the case prosecutor. The matter resumes on 8 May. BY Zandile Khumalo
