Lawyer representing sangoma accused of Kutlwano Shalaba's murder says court delays are prejudicing his client

The lawyer representing a sangoma accused of the human trafficking and premeditated murder of two-year-old Kutlwano Shalaba said that his client was being prejudiced by the court's delays.

Sebokoane Khoanyana appeared briefly in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court on Monday, where the State told the court that the child’s DNA results were still outstanding, five months after being sent for testing.

Khoanyana was arrested in May and led police to where the victim’s body was buried in Bekkersdal, south of Gauteng.

Khoanyana appeared alongside his co-accused, Keneilwe Shalaba, who is also the mother of the deceased child.

Shalaba is facing charges for her involvement in the disappearance of her son. She was nabbed by police last year in November.

The two accused were linked by cell phone records.

Khoanyana's attorney, Gladmore Nyamanda, said that his client had spent too much time in custody with no clear indication of when the State would present its evidence.

"I will keep on pushing for the matter to be marked final even next year, January, because forensic report and DNA analysis cannot take more than six months."

He added that they were ready for trial.

"If they are going to the high court, then we will go, because there are a lot of loopholes, that’s what I can say for now."

Shalaba and Khoanyana will remain in custody until January.