Convicted child killer Hughes to take the stand Tuesday for sentencing proceedings

Convicted child killer Amber Lee Hughes is set to take the stand on Tuesday to give evidence in sentencing proceedings.

Hughes briefly appeared at the Johannesburg High Court on Monday morning.

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The matter was postponed after the court concluded its questions to the first witness.

The defence has requested more time to consult with its witness, Hughes.

Hughes was convicted of the rape and murder of four-year-old Nada Jane Challita, the daughter of her former partner, in 2025.

The child was assaulted and killed in January 2023 after being left in Hughes’s care.

The court heard testimony regarding conditions at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre as part of its consideration of sentencing.

The head of the female section at the centre, Daphne Nkhensani Makhubele, briefed the court on overcrowding and rehabilitation efforts.

“The centre is built to accommodate only 711 inmates, which means it is obviously overcrowded. Our overcrowding rate is 200.14%. We try, as a centre, by all means to provide the basic needs of our inmates, both sentenced and unsentenced, including healthcare, accommodation and education for those who require it.”

Makhubele added that should Hughes receive a life sentence, she would be placed in the maximum-security section of the facility.