Sugarcane trial date set

2008-05-09 14:10

Umzinto - A 36-year old man, accused of murdering eleven KwaZulu-Natal women and dumping their bodies in sugarcane fields, will be tried in the Ramsgate High Court.

Thozamile Taki and his alleged accomplice Hlengiwe Nene appeared briefly in the Umzinto Magistrate's Court on Friday, where Magistrate Giel van Aarde ordered that they be held in custody until the trial starts on November 17.

The trial is expected to continue until December 12.

Taki is also accused of murdering two women in the Eastern Cape, whose bodies were found in a Majola tea estate near Port St Johns.

He faces a total of 13 murder charges and 12 counts of robbery.

Nene has been charged as an accessory after the fact on the 12 counts of robbery.

Taki is alleged to have lured the eleven KwaZulu-Natal women to Umzinto with the promise of employment before murdering them.

During Nene's unsuccessful bail application on November 27, the court heard that when some of the victims could not be convinced about the offer of employment in Umzinto, they would receive a call from a woman, who would tell them: "This is my brother. You've got nothing to fear".

Investigating officer Nico Crouse told the court then that there was a strong possibility that Nene was that woman.

Police initially arrested five people - three women and two men - in connection with the sugarcane murders.

Two women have since been released and the charges against 28-year-old Zandisile Bhadla Somanikiniki were dropped during the hearing on October 10.

Police have identified 12 of the 13 bodies. One of the bodies found in the Majola tea estate has still not been positively identified.

At the time of his arrest in September 2007, it was believed that Taki had raped his victims as well.

However, Taki has not been charged with rape.

- SAPA