The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has indicated additional charges may be filed against the teenager accused of the fatal 2024 stabbing of schoolgirl Deveney Nel.
In response to whether reports of a possible charge being added to the charge sheet are true, Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the NPA in the Western Cape, said:
“The child in conflict with the law is currently facing charges of murder and defeating the administration of justice. No other charge has been added.”
He, however, said there is a possibility that more charges against the 18-year-old could be added before the trial commences in the Western Cape High Court.
“The investigation is continuing, and we hope to be able to put all the charges to the accused when the matter is transferred to the high court. On the day we will handover the indictment outlining all the charges we are levelling against the accused. But presently he is facing these two charges,”
Ntabazalila said.
The accused was found fit to stand trial following a month-long psychiatric evaluation at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital earlier this year.
He was arrested on 16 August 2024, hours after attending Deveney’s memorial service at Overberg High School in Caledon, where her body was discovered in a storeroom following an extensive search after she went missing on 7 August.
Though now 18, the accused will be tried as a minor under the Child Justice Act, since he was 17 years old at the time of his arrest, which also prevents him from being publicly named.
Initially held at a youth detention centre, he was transferred to a regular prison after his 18th birthday in April.
Last week, the case was postponed to Wednesday 23 July for transfer to the high court.
Significant date
The accused’s mother was also seen at the Grabouw Magistrates’ Court on Friday (27 June), when the case against two activists of One Billion Rising, an international organisation fighting for the rights of all victims of gender-based violence, was heard.
Tanya Bippert, an activist for One Billion Rising, confirmed she and Lucinda Evans appeared in court to oppose a protection order aimed at prohibiting them from commenting about the case or making any posts on social media regarding the matter.
Bippert said a trial date for the interdict application had been set for Friday 8 August.
“The date is significant; it is the day after the first anniversary of Deveney’s death and the day before Women’s Day,”
Bippert pointed out.
Being dragged to court for being vocal about important issues such as fighting for the rights of gender-based violence victims, is nothing strange for activists, Bippert said.
However, they want to maintain focus on Deveney’s murder while using the case to advocate for amendments to the Child Justice Act. They’re calling for discussions with lawmakers to address legal loopholes and prevent future tragedies, proposing that any resulting changes be named the “Deveney Amendments” in her honour.
Bippert expressed relief that her Facebook account has been unblocked following an interim court order requested by the mother of the murder accused.
The mother had claimed that Bippert’s social media posts, which were shared by One Billion Rising and its leader, Evans, led to threats against her family, including her murder-accused son.
Recommendations
Evans said seeing the accused’s mother in court filled her with “rage and hartseer”, but emphasised One Billion Rising’s fight isn’t personal, but rather about preventing future harm.
“Our advocacy never identified her or her son. We’re addressing the Child Justice Act that’s supposed to protect children, but this mother wants to use it to protect her son accused of murder.”
She further criticised the mother for concealing a previous charge and failing to follow court recommendations.
In 2020 the accused, then aged 13, was charged with sexually assaulting a young girl. After psychiatric evaluation found him unfit for trial, the court recommended Children’s Court referral and sex-offender rehabilitation. Reportedly neither happened and the case was withdrawn in June 2023.
“If those recommendations were followed Deveney would still be alive,”
Evans said.
