Durban - A Lesotho national accused of chopping up two people and boiling the heart of one of them was denied bail in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Magistrate Vanitha Armu said she could not grant bail because, according to extradition documents provided by the Lesotho government, there was a very strong case against Lehlohonolo Joseph Scott, 26.
Scott, who has been charged with two counts of murder and one of escaping from custody in Lesotho, faces extradition to Lesotho.
Armu said: “The accused escaped from lawful custody and is a fugitive from justice. He faces very serious charges.”
Scott's lawyer had argued that the court had no power to deny bail as Scott faced no charges in South Africa.
He also argued that the State had not challenged the authenticity of a South African birth certificate that Scott had provided showing that he was born in South Africa.
Prosecutor Blackie Swart said when Scott was arrested on April 6, he was found to be in possession of a fraudulently obtained South African identity document.
Swart said Scott's assertion that he had lived in Lesotho only since 1999 had clearly been disproved by a letter from the school in Koalabata village in Lesotho which showed he was a pupil there from at least 1996.
“It clearly demonstrates dishonesty on the part of the accused,” said Swart.
According to an affidavit by Lesotho director of public prosecutions Leaba Thetsane, Scott and his mother Malehlohono Scott, have been charged with the murders of Moholobela Seetsa, 13, and Kamohelo Mohata, 22.
According to the affidavit, Seetsa was cycling on January 11, 2012. He never returned to his home in Koalabata village. Various body parts were found in a ditch a few days after he was reported missing.
Mohata, a first-year student from the same village, disappeared early in July 2012.
After an sms was sent to his parents saying that he had gone to South Africa, police were tipped off about the Scotts' alleged involvement.
When they visited Malehlohono Scott's house, they found two arms and a leg in the back of a Corsa bakkie and testicles behind the seat.
Lehlohonolo Scott allegedly pointed out a knife that was used to stab Mohata, a wire used to strangle Seetsa, and a pot in which Seetsa's heart was apparently boiled.
Scott was remanded in custody until June 19 when his extradition hearing is due to begin.
Sapa