A bail application for a man who is accused of raping a minor has been postponed to September 1 for mental observation to determine his fitness to stand trial.
This after the accused legal representative argued that he is not mentally stable.
Reply Ngobeni, 27, made his third appearance before the Bushbuckridge magistrate’s court in Mpumalanga on Monday for the murder of his cousin, Testimony Manchidi.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), in July, Ngobeni took the five-year-old victim to a local shop to buy snacks but returned home alone.
NPA regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the accused informed the family that the victim went to play with other children in the neighbourhood.
“The family became worried and started a search and later discovered the victim’s body in the nearby bush with her throat slit and stab wounds on the upper body,” said Nyuswa.
“The state initially opposed the bail application due to the seriousness of the offence the accused is charged with, however, his defence team told the court that he is not mentally stable, and requested the accused to be taken for mental observation.”
Nyuswa further said the NPA condemns the violence perpetrated against women and children.
State prosecutor Asanda Soduka told the court that the state has hospital records proving that the accused is receiving medication.
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