Judgement looms in Amber Lee Hughes murder trial

August 7, 2025 302 1

The family of four-year-old Nada Jane Challita, who was brutally murdered, say they remain hopeful that justice will finally be served for their child.

Their statement comes as Amber Lee Hughes, a self-confessed child killer, awaits judgment later this month following the conclusion of closing arguments in the high-profile rape and murder trial at the Johannesburg High Court.

Hughes, a 25-year-old former preschool teacher, admitted to drowning the toddler, who was her ex-boyfriend’s daughter.

The emotionally charged case has been marked by disturbing details and allegations of perjury, seriously undermining Hughes’s credibility.

In court today, Nada’s mother, Amy Johnson, was visibly distraught and wept as further details surrounding her daughter’s death were presented.

Speaking outside court, the child’s father, Elie Challita, said he was hopeful that justice would finally be served when judgment is handed down on 28 August. The trial had previously been delayed when Hughes changed her legal representation.

During Thursday’s proceedings, state prosecutor Rolene Barnard argued that Hughes had also raped the child, stating that forensic evidence contradicted her denials.

Although the state conceded that there is limited direct evidence linking Hughes to raping the toddler anally, findings by forensic pathologist Dr. Hestelle Van Staden suggest Hughes may have raped the young girl vaginally.

Her findings included blood clots no older than a few hours, contradicting the defense’s claim that the injuries could have occurred up to 12 hours prior.

On the day of the crime, Hughes was the only person with the child. Nada’s father was in Polokwane at the time.

However, Hughes has consistently denied raping the toddler.

The defense, led by attorney Marius Bower, argued that the killing was not premeditated, suggesting Hughes had been trying to mend her relationship with the child’s father. However, Barnard dismissed this, citing threatening messages allegedly sent by Hughes as early as August 2022, pointing to premeditation.

Hughes’s credibility took another blow when Judge Richard Mkhabela questioned the reliability of her testimony after she admitted to committing perjury. The prosecution also pointed to inconsistencies in her story, particularly the fact that she applied for bail early in the trial—contradicting her recent claim that she always intended to plead guilty.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane welcomed the developments in court.