A petition to deny bail to the teenager charged with Deveney Nel’s murder garnered more than 1 428 signatures during his court appearance on Wednesday, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Also read: Teen charged with Deveney Nel’s murder due back in court
The 17-year-old appeared in the Caledon Magistrates’ Court yesterday. He was arrested two days after Nel’s body was found in a store room at Overberg High School on 14 August. She had been stabbed in her neck and chest.
Outside the court, a global activist group aimed at combating violence against women garnered signatures for a petition to deny the accused bail.
The teenager’s chequered past includes an assault case from 2020 that was struck from the roll despite a Valkenberg Hospital psychiatrist and clinical psychologist warning that he was ‘at high risk for reoffending [and] continuing to use physical violence’.
He was 13 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
Tania Bippert, a One Billion Rising SA member and community activist, told Daily Voice that the petition also asked for a maximum sentence without parole and that he should be sent to a juvenile detention centre instead of a place of safety.
The petition was delivered to the court and the case has been postponed to 16 October.
According to Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, some outstanding investigations still need to be done. This includes cell phone and forensic analysis.
He confirmed to Newzroom Africa that the accused abandoned his right to apply for bail. However, he added that the NPA will hold onto the petition (to oppose) in case he decides to apply for bail.
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Picture: Hoërskool Overberg / Facebook