Schoolgirl died pleading for mercy

Statue of justice holding balanced scales in hand isolated on white background

Statue of justice holding balanced scales in hand isolated on white background

Published Jul 7, 2015

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Brits - A schoolgirl who burnt to death in Klipgat near Letlhabile in North West died pleading for mercy, the Brits Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.

“She [Boitumelo Dlamini] was asking Cynthia Mosopi to forgive her. She told her she was sorry,” Gugulethu Thwala told the court.

Thwala, Mosopi, Koketso Moyo and Victor Pilane are charged with kidnapping and murdering Dlamini.

The four allegedly kidnapped Dlamini at school in Letlhabile near Brits, after Mosopi accused her dating her former boyfriend. Dlamini was allegedly doused with petrol and set alight.

Thwala, also known as Sharon, told the court that on June 18, she met her friends Moyo and Mosopi in Letlhabille, from where they drove in Moyo’s parents’ car to Eletsa High School to meet Dlamini, 19.

“Cynthia told me she wanted to discuss something with Boitumelo,” she told the court.

On arrival at the school, Cynthia had called Boitumelo and she gotten into the car and they drove to Klipgat.

“When we arrived in a bushy area, Cynthia told Koketso to stop the car and she forcefully dragged Boitumelo out of the car. She slapped her and poured petrol over her.

“I tried to restrained Cynthia and petrol splashed onto me. I then saw Victor Pilane recording the incident on his cellphone. I screamed at him to help free Boitumelo from Cynthia … at that moment I heard a bang sound and saw Boitumelo was burning.

“Cynthia was also burning on her feet, she ran to Victor for help while Boitumelo ran in the opposite direction,” Thwala testified.

Thwala, 23, was applying to be released on bail. The unemployed mother of a child from Maboloka near Brits told the court she could afford R1 000 as bail and would not interfere with witnesses. She would also stay at another place for her own safety during the trial.

Pilane was released on R2,000 bail last week, while Mosopi was still recovering in hospital.

Outside the court residents of Letlhabile and Maboloka were picketing, calling for the court not to grant them bail.

ANA

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