Cape Town - The case against the teenager charged with the murder of 16-year-old Deveney Nel has been postponed for another month for further investigation.
The 17-year-old suspect, who cannot be named, appeared in camera in the Caledon Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
A petition was signed and delivered to the court, calling for bail to be denied and the boy to be remanded to a juvenile detention centre instead of a place of safety.
The suspect, who knew Deveney, was arrested by Serious and Violent Crime Unit detectives days after her bloody body was found in the storeroom of Hoërskool Overberg, where she was a Grade 10 learner at the time.
It is believed he stabbed Deveney to death, while her school hosted a sports day last month. Her mother later reported her missing when she failed to take her transport back home to Grabouw.
One Billion Rising SA member and community activist, Tania Bippert, said they received more than 1428 signatures on the petition.
“We also asked that he receive a maximum sentence without parole. The message was clear as we stood there supporting the family.
“We also feel the parents of the accused should be held responsible because of a previous sexual offence case he has.
“According to information, this happened when he was 13.
“We feel that they should have disclosed this to the school, but they didn’t nor did they get him enrolled into a juvenile sexual offence programme.”
The case has been postponed to October 16.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said: “There’s still some outstanding investigation that needs to be done, which includes forensic investigation as well as cellphone and computer analysis. So, we will be coming back on October 16.”
Cape Argus