The murder case of seven-year-old Lolitha Kowa has been transferred to the Western Cape High Court.
This follows the accused, Nokuthula Matyesini and Odwa Jack’s most recent and final appearance at the Khayelitsha Magistrates Court.
They are scheduled for their first High Court appearance on 24 April 2026.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that the accused were also served with an “Indictment and Summary of Facts” outlining charges of kidnapping, rape, murder and defeating the administration of justice.
According to the State, little Lolitha left her home on 22 July 2025 to play with a friend at the home of the accused. She did not return home that day.
After she was reported missing, a search ensued, and Lolitha’s body was found the following day at a dumping site.
“The postmortem conducted on the body of the deceased concluded that the cause of death was due to a penetrating head injury with aspiration as a contributory cause,” the court documents read.
The State said forensic evidence linked the accused to the crime, with Lolitha’s DNA found inside and outside the home of the accused.
“The clothing of Accused 1 [Matyesini] was found at the scene where the deceased’s body was recovered… Accused 2 made a statement to a private person.”
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Lolitha was laid to rest in the Eastern Cape in August last year.
