POLOKWANE – The Limpopo High Court: Polokwane Division has postponed both the Deacon murder trial and that of Themba Dube to later dates for administrative reasons.
NPA regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi told the Polokwane Observer that the Deacon murder accused Sophie Mmako and Casper Mudau as well as Dube made brief appearances on Monday (January 16) before the postponements.
“The Deacon case was adjourned to Thursday (January 19) due to the accused’s legal representatives having withdrawn from the case. They are expected to seek new counsel for processions to continue, while Dube’s trial is set to continue on January 23 as the defense wanted to approach the state on a potential confession,” she said.
Malabi-Dzhangi could not provide an answer when asked why Mmako and Mudau’s legal representatives withdrew from the case.
Lizette and Hettie Deacon were attacked in their townhouse in Welgelegen on September 10, 2020, and their bodies were found in the back of Lizette’s vehicle after police gave chase and the driver of the vehicle abandoned it next to the R37 road.
Their domestic worker Mmako, who is believed to be the mastermind, was arrested days after along with her co-accused.
Meanwhile, Dube, a 34-year-old Zimbabwean national from Seshego, faces several counts of kidnapping, murder, rape, robbery and a charge of defeating the ends of justice.
The high profile cases garnered both local and national interest in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
