Tiffany Meek now faces five charges as NPA prepares for pre-trial

Murder-accused mother, Tiffany Meek, now faces five charges, after prosecutors added a fresh count of child abuse and neglect linked to the death of her 11-year-old son, Jayden-Lee Meek.

The 31-year-old appeared at the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday, where she again maintained her innocence. She is due back on 3 December for her pre-trial hearing.

She became visibly emotional as state prosecutor, Carla Britz, added the new charge to her case.

Jayden-Lee was reported missing on 13 May after failing to return home from school. His lifeless, partially clothed body was found the next day near a staircase inside the Fleurhof complex, just metres from his home.

Meek was arrested on 11 July following extensive investigations and has remained behind bars after being denied bail.

The National Prosecuting Authority says it is ready for trial, with only its Section 220 admissions still to be completed.

NPA spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, says the state is fully prepared for the pre-trial.

“We have disclosed the contents of the docket to the defence team. So as a state, we are ready to proceed to the pre-trial stage. However, what is outstanding is for us to complete our section 220 admissions, provide them to the defence so that they can also have a look and thereafter decide what is it that they will do,” Mjonondwane added. “So basically, on the next occasion, we would have handed our section 220 applications to the defence so that we can then do the pre-trial hearing.”

A Section 220 admission is a formal agreement in which an accused accepts certain facts as true, allowing the court to treat them as proven without further evidence.

Meek will remain in custody until her next court appearance.

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe