Lotter accused changes plea to guilty

Mathew Naidoo has changed his plea to guilty in the Durban High Court where he is standing trial for the murders of Johan and Riekie Lotter.

This followed a torrid session and cross examination by Roland Parsotham, the lawyer acting for co-accused Hardus Lotter, son of the murdered husband and wife.

During a lengthy adjournment Naidoo, 25, consulted an independent lawyer not associated with the murder trial.

When proceedings resumed, he took the stand to say that he was now pleading guilty.

"I am involved in this crime... I want to completely confess to this crime," he said.

Naidoo will now be kept in the Westville Correctional Services facility.

He asked the Durban High Court if he could be isolated from the other prisoners as the case had a high profile.

Judge Shyim Ganda told him that he had no control over the prison authorities but said he would ask if Naidoo could be kept in safe place.

The court adjourned to allow Naidoo's lawyer, Vijay Sivakumoor, to prepare a detailed statement from Naidoo to be read into the court record.

Naidoo, Hardus Lotter and his sister, Nicolette Lotter, stand accused of murdering their parents, Maria Magdalena "Riekie" Lotter, 52, and her husband, Johannes Petrus Lotter, 53, on July 19, 2008.

Nicolette and Hardus, who claimed that Naidoo manipulated them to kill their parents, smiled happily when he admitted to the killings.