The Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court resumed the bail hearing of Tiffany Meek on Monday, where prosecutors presented disturbing details surrounding the alleged murder of her 11-year-old son, Jayden-Lee Meek.
Tiffany Meek bail hearing delves deep into son’s alleged murder
Meek, 31, from Fleurhof, faces charges of murder, crimen injuria (which refers to unlawfully and intentionally impairing someone’s dignity), and two counts related to interfering with the justice process.
The state is opposing her application for bail, where she has offered to pay R5,000 and suggested she could stay with relatives in Meadowland, KwaZulu-Natal.
The court heard testimony from the investigating officer, Sergeant Linda Duma, who confirmed that Meek has no prior criminal record.
However, the sequence of events presented by the officer painted a concerning picture of the night Jayden-Lee went missing.
According to police records, Jayden-Lee was supposed to return from school at 15:30 on Tuesday, 13 May 2025. When he didn’t arrive home, Meek claimed she had no airtime and asked her mother to contact the school transport driver.
She then went with police to the driver’s residence, where he stated he had dropped off the boy. A search of his home revealed nothing suspicious.
Police and Meek then visited Swazi Place Complex to speak to security personnel. One guard, who had been on duty during the day, claimed to have seen Jayden-Lee entering the complex, stating:
“I was the one who opened the gate for him.”
Meek interrupted the guard, accusing him of lying, but he remained firm in his statement.
Further confirmation came from another child who had been dropped off after Jayden-Lee.
He said he clearly remembered Jayden-Lee getting off the transport because he had helped open the bus door.
Despite several late-night searches around the Fleurhof area, including the complex and nearby streets, nothing was found on the night of 13 May.
Police then suspended the search until the following morning.
On Wednesday morning, 14 May, Jayden-Lee was discovered dead in a stairwell of a nearby block of flats.
He was still in his school uniform and had visible bruises and multiple injuries.
During the hearing, the investigating officer stated that Meek had told police she had spent the night at her mother’s house in Florida.
However, evidence presented to the court contradicted that statement, suggesting that her whereabouts during the night were unclear.
Prosecutor Olga Mapokgole said the inconsistencies in Meek’s statements and the nature of the charges warranted the court to deny bail.
“This is not just about risk of flight, but also the seriousness of the crime and the way the accused has responded to the investigation,” she said.
The bail hearing continues this week as the court considers whether to grant Meek temporary release pending her trial.