- A Covid-19 case has led to a quarantine at a Limpopo prison.
- As a result, the man accused of the murder of TVET college student Precious Ramabulana could not appear in court.
- His lawyer could also not consult with him.
A Covid-19 case at a prison prevented the man accused of the murder of TVET college student Precious Ramabulana from attending the first day of his trial on Monday.
Aubrey Manaka, 28, was scheduled to appear in the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo on charges of murder, rape, robbery and housebreaking with intent to commit an offence.
Prosecutor Trott Mphahlele told Judge Francis Kganyago that the Modimolle prison had a Covid-19 scare.
"The accused is not in court and is being held at Modimolle [prison] which is under quarantine," Mphahlele said.
Defence attorney Nghexe Manzini also indicated that he could not consult with the accused due to the quarantine.
The matter was postponed to 9 June.
Manaka is accused of killing Ramabulana at her home in Mokomene. She was a student at Capricorn TVET College.
According to the indictment, DNA tests and admissions linked Manaka to the crime.
Tenant
The indictment states that late on 24 November 2019, Ramabulana called her aunt and fellow tenant to say that she saw somebody in the yard.
Later, the tenant heard Ramabulana screaming.
She dialled Ramabulana's number but her phone was off.
Police were called and found the back window wide open. They could see Ramabulana on the floor in the room.
The ambulance was summoned, but she died on the scene.
Manaka is also facing an unrelated charge of rape involving a 4-year old girl. The crime was committed in February 2014.