Yoshini Perumal|Published
A 34-year-old man faces two murder and two attempted-murder charges after his daughters, aged one and 11, died following an alleged incident involving sleeping tablets.
The Germiston father, allegedly put sleeping tablets into food and fed it to his three daughters and wife.
Two of the children died last week.
Thomas Lourens Tolmay was charged on two counts of murder, and faces two attempted murder charges.
He appeared in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Monday, as his wife and third daughter remain in a critical condition in hospital.
Magaboke Mohlatlole, spokesperson for the Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said the incident happened last Tuesday.
Tolmay’s two daughters, aged one and 11, were declared dead at the scene, while his wife and another daughter survived the incident.
Tolmay had reportedly fled the scene, leading to a police search for him.
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) spokesperson Thabiso Makgato said Tolmay was arrested two days after the murders.
During his court appearance on Monday, Mohlatlole said the State had added another charge of theft to Tolmay’s string of charges.
He said the charge was related to the theft of a laptop from Tolmay’s employer.
Tolmay was remanded into police custody and will reappear next week for a formal bail application.