Odwa Jack and Nokuthula Matyeseni make their first appearance in Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court for the rape and murder of Lolitha Kowa. Picture credit of the accused: [Ntuthuzelo Nene/EWN]
(The Post News)- Hundreds of Khayelitsha residents gathered outside the local magistrate’s court on Friday as accused Odwa Jack and Nokuthula Matyeseni made their first appearance in connection with the rape and murder of seven-year-old Lolitha Kowa.
Community members are demanding justice after Lolitha’s lifeless body was discovered with a screwdriver lodged in her skull on Wednesday. She was found on Nambuzane Street, near her home in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha, a day after she was reported missing.
The community was left shocked when they heard Lolitha was also raped, and the accused are not strangers, but people close to the family of the deceased.
Community members are demanding justice after Lolitha’s lifeless body was discovered with a screwdriver lodged in her skull on Wednesday. She was found on Nambuzane Street, near her home in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha, a day after she was reported missing.
The community was left shocked when they heard that Lolitha had also been raped. What angered many even more was learning that the suspects are not strangers, but people known and trusted by the family. One of them is reportedly the mother of Lolitha’s friend, someone the family trusted.
She had previously taken care of Lolitha as the children played together, so when Lolitha didn’t return home, the family started searching and naturally asked her about the child’s whereabouts. She allegedly denied having Lolitha, made excuses and refused to open the door. They were not suspicious as the suspect had taken Lolitha before. A resident recalled a similar incident in the past, saying, “We searched for Lolitha, and the suspect brought her back the next day. We thought it was one of those things again.”
However, a sniffer dog helped investigators track Lolitha’s last known movements, leading them to Matyeseni’s house at Sindwadwa Street – 1.4 kilometres from where her body was found. That is when police discovered blood stains on a mop and the floor. More blood, believed to be Lolitha’s, was later found inside the taxi driven by Matyeseni’s boyfriend, Odwa Jack.
Both suspects were immediately arrested for the murder of Lolitha. During their brief court appearance on Friday, the pair asked for Legal Aid after Magistrate Brendale Abrahams, after initially saying they would represent themselves.
Lolitha’s family says they are still struggling to come to terms with the loss, and community members have shown solidarity with the family. Outside the court, community leader Lonwabo Mqina has said, “In our communities, we don’t have any space for crime. We unite as the community of Ward 99 and the broader Khayelitsha to fight against it.”
Please contact Lukhona via email: journalist-lukhona@thepostnews.net
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