Durban — A 36-year-old woman will be spending her first Christmas in the confines of Westville Correctional Centre after having been in custody since her arrest in July for murder.
Yvonne Zanele Jali is accused of the murder of Tony Mawela with the State alleging that on July 2 in Zwelibomvu, just outside of Pinetown, she intentionally killed Mawela.
It is alleged that she also tried to throw law enforcement off by covering her tracks following the alleged murder in a bid to not to have any leads pointing in her direction.
As such, the woman is also charged with defeating the ends of justice with the State alleging that she obstructed the administration of justice by unlawfully and with intent destroying evidence of the crime scene.
Jali is alleged to have burnt a carpet with blood stains on the day of the alleged murder.
In court recently, the State indicated that there had been difficulties encountered in having the post-mortem report in the matter as the deceased’s body could not be identified due to decomposition.
“The post-mortem report has been filed now and the body identified,” said State prosecutor Nomcebo Xulu.
She told the court that the matter was ready for a decision on transfer to the regional court which deals with trials.
“I ask that the matter be adjourned for a decision from the Regional Court Prosecutor on transfer,” she said.
The matter was adjourned to January. Jali made her first appearance in court before acting magistrate DM Sishi charged with the murder on July 4, three days after her arrest.
Her rights and the charges levelled against her were explained to her and the case was adjourned for her formal bail application.
The State at the time indicated that it would be opposing her application which was expected to be heard on July 12.
However, when the woman appeared again in court her Legal Aid attorney told the court on her behalf that she had elected to forfeit her right to bail and abandon the application.
The matter was then adjourned to August 23 for further investigation with the State saying that the post-mortem report as well as statements were still outstanding in investigations.
When Jali appeared again in September the post-mortem report was still outstanding.
Xulu said investigations had revealed that the deceased was a foreign national and that arrangements were being made with the embassy to confirm the identity of the murdered man.
By November the deceased’s body had still not been identified, however, statements in relation to investigations had been filed.
Daily News