Cape Town – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will seek a maximum sentence for 25-year-old Amber Lee Hughes, found guilty of raping and murdering four-year-old Nada-Jane Challita, her ex-boyfriend’s child.
Gauteng NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjondondwane expressed hope that the verdict brings the family some much-needed comfort.
“So we hope that the father will also find closure now that we’ve reached this stage. And going forward, as the NPA, we will be arguing for a sentence that will send a message that this type of behaviour cannot be tolerated,” EWN quoted Mjondondwane as saying.
The High Court in Johannesburg has found Amber Lee Hughes guilty of the vaginal rape and premeditated murder of 4-year-old, Nada-Jane Challita. Last month, Hughes admitted to drowning the child, but denied the rape charges. #eNCA #DStv403 #QuestionThinkAct pic.twitter.com/9VdDno8fpV
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 28, 2025
The child’s body was discovered in a bathtub on 23 January 2023.
Hughes’s sentencing was delayed due to a last-minute change in legal representation.
The High Court in Johannesburg is handing down judgment in the Amber Lee Hughes murder trial. The former pre-school teacher is accused of the rape and murder of her ex-boyfriend’s 4-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Challita, in 2023. #eNCA #DStv403 #NewsLink pic.twitter.com/9iyrBH8k55
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 28, 2025
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
