A young man, suspected of being part of a gang that brutally attacked two couples at Rhodes Park in Kensington, showed no emotion as he made a brief first court appearance.
The 24-year-old faces charges of murder, rape and attempted murder after he was arrested on Friday.
Dressed in a black tracksuit top and red pants, Thabo Nkala stood quietly in the dock in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court as the charges against him were read out. He stared blankly at a News24 reporter as he was led back down to the court's holding cells.
His appearance lasted a few minutes and most journalists waiting to cover it were misled when they were told the court would first hear another matter that was being held in camera, which means they were not in the courtroom when Nkala appeared.
No pictures of him were taken.
The matter was postponed to November 9 for further investigations.
Just over two weeks ago, a gang of 12 men attacked two couples who had gone to the park after a church service in central Johannesburg.
They accosted the couples, beat the two men before stripping them and tying their hands and feet with their clothes before throwing them in the lake where they drowned.
One of the women was raped while the other escaped without any physical harm.
A manhunt is still on for the rest of the attackers.
Police have said they are confident that Nkala's arrest would lead to the capture of the other suspects.
Source: News24
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