A male individual has admitted to igniting a fatal blaze at a residential complex, leading to one of the most tragic incidents in South African history. He has been accused of 76 counts of homicide and 86 counts of attempted homicide.
The accused was additionally accused of setting fire and has been instructed to remain in police custody until a bail hearing in the following month. He could potentially receive a life sentence, as the death penalty is not enforced in South Africa.
According to prosecutors, the individual known as Sithembiso Lawrence Mdlalose admitted to the crime in written form.
On Tuesday, Mdlalose was taken into custody after making a shocking statement during an investigation. He claimed to be the one responsible for the August fire at a Johannesburg building, which claimed the lives of 76 individuals and left many others injured.
During the investigation, he admitted to starting the fire in an attempt to conceal the body of a man he had murdered in the basement of the building. He confessed to strangling the man and then dousing his body with gasoline before setting it on fire.
A fire destroyed a five-story building on August 31, 2023 in the early morning.
According to prosecutors, the statement made by Mdlalose at the inquiry cannot be used as evidence in his trial as the inquiry is not a criminal proceeding. However, they noted that he has since confessed in writing before a judge.
Source: theguardian.com
