Fire-accused tells court he lied

TWIST: MDLALOSE RETRACTS CONFESSION ABOUT BLAZE

- Molefe Seeletsa

In a twist of events, the man accused of setting fire to the hijacked Usindiso building in Johannesburg has changed his story. He now claims he had nothing to do with the blaze that killed more than 70 people.

Sthembiso Mdlalose returned to the stand yesterday at the High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court, to continue his testimony. He faces multiple counts of murder, attempted murder and arson in connection with the fire that gutted the building owned by the Johannesburg Property Company in Marshalltown, which claimed the lives of 77 people in August 2023.

Mdlalose initially confessed to the commission of inquiry, led by retired justice Sisi Khampepe, which was set up to probe the fire. He then confessed to a magistrate at a later date.

He claimed the blaze began when he tried to cover up a murder by burning the victim's body in the basement using petrol.