/ 13 June 1999

TEST TO PROVE KILLERS MINORS

FOUR teenagers who were convicted of murder on Thursday will be medically tested to verify their claim that they are under 18, and minors in the eyes of the law. The Nelspruit Regional Court found that the four, along with Mathews Thabe (18) murdered Amos Nkosi (46) on March 15 after Nkosi refused to move a car that one of the teenagers said was blocking their way. Magistrate Albertus le Roux said he refuses to believe that two of the youths are aged 15 years, one 16, and another 17, as had been claimed. Each of the four youths has a guardian who confirmed their ages at the start of the trial. However, they were unable to produce documentary evidence.