'Arrogant liars' murdered Kathy
28 October 2008, 18:22
A Pretoria High Court judge on Tuesday described the men who murdered Pretoria resident Kathy Odendaal as ""arrogant liars"".
Acting Judge Chris Eksteen said there was overwhelming evidence that Alfred Matlala, 23, and Jacob Dithung, 29, killed Odendaal in her Pretoria home on October 16 last year.
There were also strong indications that they tried to rape her.
It was clear that there had been a fierce struggle in and around Odendaal's Lynnwood Manor house and that she had been viciously stabbed and ""prepared"" for rape.
Her attackers were probably disturbed by an alarm. It was clear that her house had been ransacked.
Odendaal's blood was found on both accused's clothes and Dithung's fingerprints were found inside her house.
A security guard caught Dithung jumping over Odendaal's fence immediately after her murder and Matlala was caught by staff from a rubbish removal company in the same vicinity shortly afterwards.
Matlala had Odendaal's jewellery, cellphone and car keys in his possession when he was caught.
He was also in possession of a firearm stolen from another house in the area three days earlier and used in a series of other serious crimes.
Matlala and Dithung were both convicted on charges of murdering, robbing and attempting to rape Odendaal and breaking into another Lynnwood Manor house three days earlier.
The judge said all of the crimes had been carefully planned.
Matlala was further convicted on charges of murdering Wilson Mapadahanya, who was shot dead in a busy Lynnwood Glen Street on October 13 last year and a charge of housebreaking with the intent to rob Odendaal's neighbour, Moose Ebrahim.
He was also convicted of attempting to murder the three-year-old daughter of Ebrahim's domestic worker, Alphiner Ndalana, by shooting her in the back during the robbery.
The little girl miraculously survived the attack, but could no longer walk after the incident.
Dithung was acquitted on the same charges because of a lack of corroborated evidence against him, although the judge said there was a strong suspicion that he had also been involved in the crimes.
Eksteen said Matlala treated his victims with arrogance and contempt. He had run away laughing after shooting Mapadahanya and treated the Ebrahims and little Alphiner with the same disrespect.
Sentencing proceedings will begin on Wednesday. - Sapa