Accused expected back in court for Lolitha Kowa trial

A mother and her boyfriend linked to the killing of a seven-year-old girl in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, are expected back in the area's magistrates court on Monday.
 
Nokuthula Matyeseni and Odwa Jack are accused of sexually assaulting and killing Lolitha Kowa in July 2025.
 
Lolitha was last seen on 22 July playing with the accused’s daughter at their home in Kuyasa.
 
The girl's body was found at a dumping site in the area a week later.
 
A police sniffer dog led investigators to an address in Sindwadwa Street, Kuyasa, where the child was last seen.

The dog reacted to blood on the mop and blood stains on the floor of the house, which is believed to be that of the little girl.
 
Both accused are currently behind bars after abandoning their bail application in 2025.
 
The court has also heard that the couple's home was burned down, allegedly by angry community members.
 
Lolitha was laid to rest in Lady Frere, Eastern Cape, in August.