Johannesburg: The High Court, sitting in Palm Ridge, has ruled that the confession made by the man accused of starting the deadly Usindiso building fire, is admissible as evidence. The fire, allegedly started by 30-year-old Lawrance Mdlalose, killed at least 76 people living in the building situated in the Johannesburg CBD. Mdlalose is facing 76 counts of murder, one count of arson, and 12 counts of attempted murder in the case.

According to South African Government News Agency, following the incident, a commission of inquiry, led by former Justice Sisi Khampepe, was established in September 2023 to probe, amongst others, the circumstances that led to the deaths at the building. Mdlalose gave testimony on 23 January 2024, allegedly implicating himself as the one who started the fire, resulting in an order by Justice Khampepe that he be taken to a Magistrate to reduce his confession in writing, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.

The prosecutorial body said the court found that Mdlalose’s statement was made ‘freely and voluntarily, and in sound and sober senses without any undue influence’. Despite the defence’s argument that the accused’s confession was made under duress and when he was high on drugs, State Advocates Thamsanqa Mpekana and Percy Monareng submitted that the statement given to the Magistrate was made voluntarily and in sound and sober senses, an unequivocal admission of guilt. They asserted that all legal requirements had been satisfied and, therefore, the statement should be admitted as evidence, the NPA said.