The case of murder involving 39-year-old Mduduzi Trevor Mnisi, who is accused of killing 14-year-old Likhona Fose, has been postponed to June 18 for a formal bail application.

Mnisi appeared before the Roodepoort Magistrates Court on charges of murder with the State indicating that it plans to oppose bail to Mnisi, who has a previous attempted murder conviction against him.

Scores of concerned residents of Durban Deep indicated that they feel let down by the country’s justice system, as Mnisi had been out on parole when he allegedly killed Likhona.

However, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) could not ascertain this claim, with its spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, indicating that they will verify the claim as part of their seven-day postponement request.

Likhona, a Grade 8 pupil at Ikusasalethu Secondary School in Braamfischerville, was found dead with her body mutilated in an empty field on Sunday, 1 June 2025, sparking reports of possible muti and hate crime-related murder.

Likhona’s mutilated body was found in a bush a few streets away from her home in Durban Deep.  It was revealed during the court proceedings that Mnisi has a previous conviction for attempted murder and robbery, committed in 2007.

This was revealed during his second appearance at Court F, where his previous conviction was acknowledged by Mnisi’s legal representative, Asanda Qwabe, who said, despite this prior conviction, her client does not have any pending cases against him.

The State subsequently moved for the matter to be remanded for seven days in order to gather enough information on Mnisi’s background with a view to opposing his bail application.

According to Mjonondwane: “The matter has been remanded for the State to gather evidence in respect of the bail application that the accused wants to bring before the court. He is charged with premeditated murder, which falls within the ambit of Schedule 6 offences. As the NPA, we will be opposing his release on bail.

“Our investigations are ongoing, and as the NPA, at this stage, we are not in a position to say whether he has previous or pending cases, nor can we confirm whether he was out on parole. Such information will be presented in court.”

Speaking to members of the media outside court, Sibusiso Mnisi, who identified himself as the brother of the accused, indicated that his brother had told him that he is not involved in the alleged murder.

“When I spoke to him, he told me that he did not commit this murder. My brother has been struggling to get a job, and to see him on the stand, hurts me as well,” he said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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