WITBANK - Zinhle Maditla, the woman accused of killing her four children in Klarinet in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, was badly affected by their death, her defence attorney told the Witbank Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
“We cannot change the fact that the applicant has always been hurt by the loss of her children,” Legal Aid South Africa appointed attorney Mphile Ndzondo said.
He was presenting his closing arguments during Maditla’s bail application hearing.
Ndzondo said Maditla needed bail so that she could have a fair opportunity to prepare for the trial, and challenged the testimony of investigating officer Constable Zinhle Mathenjwa, who said Maditla might kill herself if she was granted bail.
“She has a chronic condition but continued to take her medication in police custody. She would have stopped taking her medication if she wanted to end her own life. This is an indication that she is prepared to stand trial.”
Maditla is facing four counts of premeditated murder.
State prosecutor Johan Harmse told the court that 24-year-old Maditla failed to show exceptional circumstances to the court on why she should be granted bail as required by section 60 (11) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
He said Maditla concealed evidence by keeping the bodies of her children in her rented room between December 27 and 30.
“The accused often went into the room to change clothes without reporting the matter to the police. When neighbours asked the accused about the bad smell that came from the room, she said she kept rotten meat in that room,” said Harmse.
Maditla was arrested on December 30, after she handed herself over to the Vosman police station shortly after the decomposed bodies of her four children – two girls, aged four and eight, and two boys, aged seven years and 11 months – were found in her rented room.
Magistrate Mdumiseni Mavuso postponed the matter to June 24, for a judgment.