Cranks DNA bags ruled admissible

The Johannesburg High Court has allowed the state to re-examine a key witness in the trial of three men accused of murdering restaurant chef Betty Ketani 13 years ago.

In a ruling regarding the admissibility of three forensic bags, which contained bone and DNA samples belonging to Ketani and her two children, Judge Natvarlal Ranchod yesterday allowed the state to re-examine Captain Theunis Briers. He also ruled that the state could hand in the bags as evidence.

The judge said he would give his reasons before the state closes its case.

Advocate Laurance Hodes, acting for Carrington Laughton, one of the accused, had earlier challenged the state on discrepancies relating to the DNA analysis.

Ketani, who worked at Cranks, a Thai eatery in Rosebank that has since shut down, disappeared in May 1999. Laughton and brothers David and Carel Ranger are accused of murdering her.