State says strong case against Verulam rape, murder accused

The child was stabbed to death at the block of flats at Hammonds Farm - at which she and the accused lived. The accused - who is a call centre agent in Umhlanga - was arrested at the scene. His bail application got under way yesterday.

According to the investigating officer, Emanuel Zulu, two children say they saw the accused leading the deceased into his home that fateful afternoon and later carrying her out - her limp body, slumped across his forearms.

Zulu says a KFC packet containing her clothes was also found in the accused's kitchen bin. He, however, maintains his innocence and says he'd never seen the deceased before.

Both the State and the defence have closed their cases now and the matter's been set down for arguments, early next month.