Moehydien Pangaker’s pre-trial postponed due to lawyer’s unavailability

Moehydien Pangaker’s pre-trial hearing was postponed at the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday 3 February 2021. The 54-year-old man stands accused of the brutal murder of eight-year-old Tazne van Wyk. 

The young girl was last seen by her father in Claire Street, Connaught Estate, in Elsies River, on her way to a nearby tuck shop on 7 February 2020. 

PRE-TRIAL TO COMMENCE IN MARCH

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila told The South African that the pre-trial had been postponed to 19 March 2021. 

“The pre-trial conference of Moehydien Pangaker was postponed to 19 March  2021 due to the unavailability of the accused’s legal representative,” he said. 

A pre-trial conference, according to the legal dictionary, is the conference that is held before the trial judge or a magistrate, a judicial officer who possesses fewer judicial powers than a judge.  

MOEHYDIEN PANGAKER LEADS POLICE TO BODY OF TAZNE VAN WYK

Moehydien Pangaker, who was said to be the neighbour of Van Wyk and her family could not be found in Cape Town following her disappearance. Police confirmed that he was later found and arrested in Cradock in the Eastern Cape on Monday 17 February. 

Upon his return to the Western Cape on Wednesday 19 February, he eventually led police to a stormwater pipe near Worcester where Van Wyk’s body was cruelly dumped.

LONG LIST OF CONVICTIONS

According to the NPA, Moehydien Pangaker has a long list of crimes that he’s been convicted of, dating back to 1981: 

• 1. Ladismith: 2015: Possession of stolen vehicle, guilty and sentenced;
• 2. Kuilsriver: 2001: Murder, guilty and sentenced;
• 3. Kimberley: 1991: Theft, sentenced; 
• 4. Ravensmead: 1988: Assault, sentenced;
• 5. Laingsburg: 1998: Housebreaking, guilty and sentenced; 
• 6. Elsies River: 1981: Theft: sentenced; 
• 7. Elsies River: 1981: Housebreaking; sentenced;
• 8. Ladismith: 2001: Culpable homicide, abduction, child neglect: sentenced;
• 9. Ladismith: 2003: Assault: sentenced;
• 10. Elsies River: 2003: Breaking correctional supervision: guilty; and
• 11. Ladismith: 2015: Driving vehicle without authority: guilty.

Moehydien Pangaker was sentenced in 2008 at the Bellville Regional Court for kidnapping, child abuse and culpable homicide. 

He was later released on parole but absconded from Bellville Community Corrections in 2015. He was placed on parole supervision at Ladismith Community Corrections between October 2016 and May 2019. He then also absconded supervision and a case was opened at Ladismith for absconding.