A confession statement made to police by one of three men accused of the brutal murder of an off-duty St Albans prison warder was deemed inadmissible as evidence on Monday.
Judge Irma Schoeman did not give reasons for her decision in the Port Elizabeth High Court, after she ruled that the alleged confession statement by Jean-Claude Uithaler would not be accepted as evidence.
Uithaler, 23, Khawulelani Gqunta, 22, and Sinethemba Mfihlo, 22, all from Chatty, are standing trial for the June 14 2014 murder of Quinton David Williams, of Booysen Park.
The trio have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Williams was beaten repeatedly on the head, stabbed more than 30 times and partially castrated.
During a trial within a trial, Uithaler’s mother, Charmaine, testified that her son was a slow learner and had diminished mental capacity.
She said he did not understand the concept of a confession statement.
The matter was postponed to Thursday.