Defence Grills Police in Jayden-Lee Meek Murder Case

Pressure mounts over missing records and conflicting evidence

As the tragic case of 11-year-old Jayden-Lee Meek plays out in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court, fresh questions are being raised about how police have handled the investigation.

Tiffany Meek, 31, a teacher from Fleurhof, stands accused of murdering her son and attempting to obstruct justice. She was arrested on 11 July 2025, almost two months after Jayden-Lee was reported missing on 13 May. His body was discovered just hours later near their apartment complex, but many say the answers are still missing.

This week marked the fourth day of Tiffany’s bail hearing. Her defence attorney, Noven Naidoo, used the opportunity to cross-examine the State’s investigating officer and expose what he claimed were gaps in the case, including missing entries, uncertified documents, and contradictory witness accounts.

“What was he wearing?”

The cross-examination began with confusion over what Jayden-Lee was last seen wearing. Naidoo stated that Tiffany helped dress her son that morning in grey pants, a white shirt, a tie, and black takkies. However, statements from the child’s teacher and a security guard conflicted with this account.

When pressed, the police sergeant admitted that he couldn’t independently verify the clothing, noting that the information was second-hand.

Occurrence book under scrutiny

From there, Naidoo turned his attention to the apartment complex’s occurrence book, a daily log used by security to record incidents. According to the copies presented in court, the first official entry about Jayden’s disappearance was only made after 8pm on 13 May, hours after he was last seen.

Tiffany, according to her lawyer, allegedly notified the day-shift guard around 5pm, left her phone number, and asked to be contacted if Jayden returned. Yet, there was no record of this interaction in the OB. The police sergeant admitted this detail was not recorded and could not explain its absence.

Even more concerning, Naidoo alleged that a page from the OB had gone missing by the time Tiffany and her family tried to take a photo of it on 14 May, the day Jayden’s body was found. The officer confirmed the OB copies in court had not been certified, citing workload pressures for the oversight.

Nationality questions raise eyebrows

The defence also probed the immigration status of the complex’s security guards. The police sergeant confirmed they were Congolese nationals but said he did not know whether they were legally employed. Naidoo hinted that this could affect the legitimacy of the OB entries, though no formal evidence was presented to support that claim.

A community watching closely

The case has sparked intense public interest in Johannesburg and across the country. On social media, many are voicing frustration over what they see as investigative incompetence and slow progress. Some local activists, including anti-crime campaigners in Gauteng, have called for greater transparency and oversight when children are involved.

As the hearing continues, the court must now weigh not only the allegations against Tiffany Meek but also the credibility of the case built around them.

Also read: ‘You Didn’t Think It Was Necessary?’: Jayden-Lee Meek Case Takes a Troubling Turn in Court

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Source: IOL

Featured Image: EWN