Chanelle Plaatjies murder: Suspects abandon bail bid amid ongoing investigation

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.

Keaton Johnson, 19, Bradley Mamani, 25, and Theodore Qatha, 31, appeared in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday facing charges relating to the brutal murder of the teenage girl from Paarl East.

They first appeared in court on June 20. 

Johnson was reportedly the teenager's boyfriend. Plaatjies went missing on May 14.

After a desperate two-week search by her family and community, human remains were discovered in a wooded area about a kilometre from her home, but DNA tests had to confirm it was her body that was dug out of the shallow grave.

Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk said: "Be advised that the DNA results were received and confirmed that the body of a female discovered buried in the woods in Paarl East near to prison is indeed 16-year-old Chanelle Plaatjies."

According to the charge sheet, the accused are charged with premeditated murder.

The State alleges that “the accused did unlawfully and intentionally kill Chanelle by strangling her and burying her body in a shallow grave”.

The charge falls under Part I of Schedule 2 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997, which deals with aggravated forms of murder, including killings committed as part of a group, conspiracy, or with premeditation.

As such, if convicted, the accused face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

Action Society spokesperson, Kaylynn Palm, who was present at court on Tuesday, confirmed that one of the accused had initially considered applying for bail but later withdrew the application.

All three ultimately abandoned their bids and remain in custody.

“Action Society is at Paarl Magistrate’s Court for the murder case of Chanelle Plaatjies. Three people were arrested, including the boyfriend, and they appeared in court. On Tuesday, all of them abandoned their bail,” said Palm.

She added that the State informed the court that several investigative reports were still outstanding.

“According to the State, outstanding items include the DNA report, soil analysis, and toxicology report,” Palm said.

She also noted that the accused alleged mistreatment while in custody.

“They complained that they were roughed up by the wardens and were apparently injured, but they didn’t produce any evidence of that.”

Palm said Action Society will keep an eye on the future court proceedings.

The matter has been postponed to August 1, 2025, for further investigation.

Plaatjies' family previously asked for the police not to drag the case as they did with the slain 4-year-old Mia Botha's case.

"We would like to request that the police keep the investigating officer and not hand the case over to other officers, as they did with the Mia case. The detective was very good and thorough when my sister went missing. 

"We don't want to find ourselves years from now asking questions about Chanelle's cold case. This is our only request to the police." 

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