In a packed George Magistrate’s Court Monday, two brothers from Thembalethu faced charges in the murder of Micaylin Whites (22), whose body was discovered with multiple stab wounds next to the N2 highway near Pacaltsdorp on July 20.

Lawrence Richards (43) and Elroy Uithaler (41) will be back in the dock tomorrow for a bail application.

They face charges of murder and sexual assault. George Herald has learned that Uithaler has already made a confession.

Reliable sources also confirmed that Whites’ murder coincided with the funeral of Richards’ mother on Saturday July 20.

The previous night, a group that included Whites, visited Richards’ family. Around midnight they allegedly went from Parkdene to Thembalethu and this was the last time she was seen alive.

Richards is no stranger to prison and was out on correctional supervision at the time of Whites’ murder. He was released in February this year after he was sentenced to three years on a statutory rape charge.

Mother knows accused

Micaylin’s mother, Bonita du Plessis, expressed her anguish outside the courtroom, revealing that she knew both suspects personally, as they all grew up in the Parkdene area.

“I’m so disappointed. Elroy should have protected my daughter from his brother,” she said tearfully. “We all know his [Lawrence’s] history with women.”

History of crime

The shocking revelation of Richards’ past adds another layer to the story. In March 2012, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the George Regional Court for the murder of Maudene Jacobs (23), only to be released in 2018.

In this case, Richards was also sentenced to 10 years for rape and two years for assault with the intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

Jacobs’ body was found on July 26, 2010 near the N2 highway footbridge. She and her boyfriend, John Mustafa, had been with Richards at a local tavern the night before.

Richards allegedly attacked Jacobs on their way home, stabbing Mustafa in his face with a broken bottle when he attempted to intervene.

Mustafa fled to alert Jacobs’ family, but they did not find her until the next morning when her naked body was discovered behind a pillar under the bridge.

Testimony was presented during the trial that Richards’ DNA was found on underwear at the scene.

Successful appeal

Richards appealed his conviction and sentencing, resulting in his acquittal on the murder charge. On the rape charge the conviction and sentence were upheld.

His appeal against the grievous bodily harm conviction and sentence was dismissed. George Herald reached out to the Registrar of the Appeal Court in the Western Cape to find out on what grounds Richards’ conviction and sentence were overturned, but several attempts to reach them proved fruitless.

Efforts to contact Jacobs’ family for comment were also unsuccessful.

Community outcry

Charly Daman of the Pacaltsdorp Community Policing Forum (CPF) is urging the public to sign a petition opposing the bail of the two suspects and to attend the court hearing tomorrow, as a protest is planned outside the magistrate’s court.