Cele says suspect confessed to Mthwalume murders as court proceedings halt
Police Minister, Bheki Cele says one of the suspects arrested in connection with the murders of five women in Mthwalume confessed to the crimes before ending his life in a police holding cell on Monday morning.
Cele made the comments at the Umzumbe Magistrate's Court, where the two suspects arrested were due to appear.
He says court proceedings came to a halt because they did not have sufficient evidence against the second accused in the case.
The matter didn't go ahead - and the NPA's Natasha Kara explains why.
"On studying the docket the chief prosecutor decided that there was a case against one of the suspects and insufficient evidence against the other suspect.
"It was brought to our attention that the suspect who was suppose to appear in court this morning passed away in police custody. The cases against the second suspect was not enrolled due to insufficient evidence," says Kara.
READ: Mthwalume murder suspect commits suicide in police custody
Cele says the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will investigate the death.
Watch below:
Police Minister Bheki Cele says the suspect who took his life before he appeared in court this morning, in connection with #MthwalumeMurders, confessed to the murder of the four of the five women found dumped in the sugarcane fields on the KZN south coast. @nushera pic.twitter.com/Nlcp5vzUXO
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) August 17, 2020
#MthwalumeMurders https://t.co/EMGKRJdxH3
— ECR_Newswatch (@ECR_Newswatch) August 17, 2020
The community outside court are up in arms over the fact that the remaining accused will not appear today. They say they want answers @ECR_Newswatch #MthwalumeMurders pic.twitter.com/GCLtj8dD1q
— Nushera Soodyal (@nushera) August 17, 2020
