Marshalltown fire suspect's confession can be used in court, says NPA
The National Prosecuting Authority has confirmed that the man charged with the Marshalltown building fire has made a confession that can be used in court.
Twenty-nine-year-old Lawrence Mdlalose appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where he was charged with 76 counts of murder, 86 of attempted murder and a charge of arson.
Dressed in grey torn jeans and an army green jacket over his orange t-shirt, Mdlalose hung his head low while fiddling with the black beanie.
On Tuesday, Mdlalose made the shocking revelation at the Usindiso Commission of Inquiry that he set the building on fire when he tried to conceal evidence of a murder he had committed in one of the rooms in a hijacked building on 80 Albert Street.
NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane confirmed the confession was made before a magistrate on Wednesday.
“As the prosecution, we can’t rely on the evidence that was presented at the commission, so the state is currently busy with its own investigations. But with what we have at our disposal, we were able to place the matter before the court.
“We can confirm that a confession has been (made) in front of a magistrate. It therefore meets the requirements of section 217 of the Criminal Procedures Act.”
This was confirmed by Mdlalose’s lawyer, Dumisani Mabunda, outside court.
“I have a copy of the confession. It was only given to me this morning, so I need to go through it and consult with my client. My instructions are that he did that voluntarily,” Mabunda said.
The case was postponed to next Thursday for police profiling and address verification.
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