SUSPECTS ABANDON BAIL

THE three men accused of murdering 16-year-old Chanelle Plaatjies have abandoned their bail application and will remain in custody until their next court appearance.

- BY MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

Keaton Johnson, 19, Bradley Mamani, 25, and Theodore Qatha, 31, appeared in the Paarl Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, facing charges relating to the brutal murder of the girl from Paarl East. Johnson was reportedly the teenager's boyfriend.

Plaatjies went missing on 14 May 2025. After a desperate two-week search by her family and community, her remains were discovered in a wooded area about a kilometre from her home. Her body had been buried in a shallow grave.

Murder