It took less than seven months for the alleged killers and rapists of 14-year-old Janika Mello to see the inside of the Western Cape High Court.
Heinz Park residents and family of the slain teen arrived in their numbers at the court on Friday to face Allester Abrams and a 16-year-old suspect who may not be identified.
The duo had been caught after one of them allegedly got blood on his clothing when he smashed Janika’s head with a concrete slab.
Used condoms were also found at the scene.
Janika was in Grade 6 and had attended a karaoke at Portland High School to support a local soccer club on August 31.
Her body was found in her backyard in Heinz Park the next morning.
DEAD: Janika Mello, 14, was raped and murdered
The State said it was ready to
proceed to trial.
They have yet to plead to the charges of rape and murder.
The matter was postponed to 27 March for the suspects to consult with their lawyers.
The organisation, Ilitha Labantu, joined Janika’s dad, Marlon Koopman, 38, and her ouma, Muriel Pienaar, 60 outside court.
ACCUSED: Allester Abrams
Muriel told the Daily Voice she was not satisfied that the case would be held in camera due to the one accused being a minor, calling them “cold-blooded
killers”: “They do not need to be inside a closed court, they are rapists and killers.”
Marlon says they are happy to see the wheels of justice turn. Nombeko Leputhing of Ilitha Labantu says it’s time the courts dealt harshly with killers and rapists of women and children.
“We want these cases to be treated the same, that all the perpetrators must rot in jail.”