Vuyiswa Leeuw’s case was postponed to Monday, 1 June, to finalise the indictment. Leeuw appeared in the same court on Thursday (30/4) due to outstanding information relevant to the case.

The finalisation of an indictment means that the state (prosecution) has concluded its investigations, finalised the formal written document of charges (the indictment), and is ready to proceed to trial in a higher court.

Leeuw is accused of kidnapping and murdering a five-year-old relative. Her bail application was denied in December after the state contended that the killing of Onkarabetse Leeuw was premeditated and carried out as an act of revenge.

‘Leeuw allegedly abducted and killed Onkarabetse in retaliation’

Onkarabetse’s 20-year-old mother, Rethabile, who is also Leeuw’s cousin, reported him missing at the Glen police station in November. Following an extensive search, his body was discovered four days later, hidden beneath a cardboard box in thick vegetation on the southern edge of the settlement.

Leeuw allegedly abducted and killed Onkarabetse in retaliation after her own daughter, Katleho, 3, was reportedly kidnapped and murdered by a close relative of Onkarabetse.

“The case of Vuyiswa Leeuw was postponed to 1 June to finalise the indictment,” said Free State NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane.

OFM News previously reported in December the defence claimed Leeuw’s six-month pregnancy was high-risk and that she was not receiving adequate medical care while in custody, a statement the state disputed. She has since given birth.

Leeuw’s daughter, Katleho, was reported missing in October, and her body was discovered two days later by a passer-by in dense vegetation near the settlement north of Bloemfontein.

In the case related to Katleho’s murder, the accused was referred for a 30-day psychiatric assessment at the Free State Psychiatric Hospital, after his admission was initially delayed due to a lack of available beds.

A 30-day psychiatric observation is a formal forensic process where an individual accused of a crime is evaluated by a multi-professional team.

The assessment is conducted under Sections 77 and 78 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, focusing on whether a mental illness or intellectual disability rendered the person incapable of understanding court proceedings or appreciating the wrongfulness of their actions.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame sm

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