The sister of the man accused of the rape and murder of eight-year-old Tazne van Wyk has been called by the State to testify in his trial.
The little girl from Elsies River went missing from her parents’ home two years ago. Her body was found dumped in a stormwater drain in the Boland days later.
Moyhdian Pangkaeker is facing 27 charges, including the rape and murder of Van Wyk.
The accused’s sister, Nazli Pangkaeker, says she called him shortly after Van Wyk went missing in February 2020.
She says he told her that the child was not with him. Nazli says, however, that he did not want to tell her where he was. Even after she asked him several times about his whereabouts during the telephone call.
The state alleges that Moyhdian kidnapped Van Wyk and took her to Worcester, where he raped and murdered her.
On Wednesday, the father of the eight-year-old said he believes the accused was the last person who was with his daughter before she died.
Terence Manuel said the last time he saw his daughter alive, was when she left home to go to a shop near where they stayed, in Elsies River.
He said he believed she was playing with a group of friends after she went to the shop.
Manuel said he started panicking when Van Wyk did not return home with the other children in the area when they came home.
VIDEO: Tazne van Wyk murder trial:
