Verdict delivered: Amber Lee-Hughes guilty of Nada-Jane Chalita’s murder and rape

Amber Lee-Hughes, the former preschool teacher, has been convicted by the Gauteng High Court of raping and murdering her ex-partner’s four-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Chalita, in 2023.

Hughes, 25, had been in custody for two years, facing multiple charges. During the trial, she admitted to drowning the child but denied allegations of sexual assault. The prosecution argued that Hughes had also committed rape, and the court found her guilty on both counts.

Nada-Jane Chalita was found drowned in her Glenvista home bathtub in January 2023. A post-mortem confirmed she had also been sexually abused. Hughes had been responsible for the child while the father, Elie Chalita, was away.

Judge Richard Mkhabela criticised Hughes for giving false testimony, noting that her dishonesty caused unnecessary trauma to the victim’s family and prolonged court proceedings. Her legal team had argued she intended to plead guilty only to murder, but the evidence supported convictions for both murder and sexual assault.

The verdict brings an end to a case that has shocked Johannesburg and drawn national attention to child safety and justice issues.