Eastern Cape woman convicted of murdering six-year-old girl
Noluvuyo Sinyikatha, 23, has been convicted of murdering six-year-old Likuwe Mpokopi in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape. The State said she killed the child after blaming Likuwe’s mother for the death of her own baby.
An Eastern Cape woman has been found guilty of premeditated murder for drowning a six-year-old girl, Likuwe Mpokopi, in a river on August 28, 2024. Noluvuyo Sinyikatha, 23, allegedly believed the girl's mother was responsible for the death of her own nine-month-old baby, who passed away a few days prior. The child's lifeless body was discovered floating in a shallow stream near her home.
Sinyikatha had reportedly earlier been seen with the child towards the river. The State presented circumstantial evidence and a confession that Sinyikatha later recanted. The trial included a trial-within-a-trial after Sinyikatha challenged the admission of her confession. While there were no eyewitnesses to the drowning, the court deemed the evidence sufficient to prove the State's case beyond reasonable doubt.
The DPP in the Eastern Cape praised the efforts of prosecutors and investigators in securing the conviction. The NPA is now focused on sentencing proceedings, which are scheduled for September 18, aiming to impose a sentence that reflects the severity of the crime.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
