A South Africa accused of cutting off a man’s penis after he was suspected of raping and killing her five-year-old daughter mother has appeared in court.

23-year-old Veronique Makwena, is charged with attempted murder alongside sister-in-law Noxolo Maneli and family friend Siyabonga Pakade for attacking a man after the body of her daughter, Chantelle, was found in a public toilet.

Lawyer Fundile Matoto, who agreed to represent the women without fee after the case drew national attention, does not deny the attack took place but said the charges should be reduced.

Speaking to News24, he said:

“In my opinion, this case is a matter of assault, at most, grievous bodily harm.”

Chantelle went missing from her home in Port Elizabeth in August this year while Makwena and her sister went to the shops and back, which was a long walk away.

By the time they arrived home it was dark and Chantelle, who they had left in the company of a friend, was nowhere to be found.

Makwena said she spent all night searching for the five-year-old but could find no trace of her.

Her bloodied body was eventually discovered slumped over in a public toilet the following day by Makwena’s husband, and a police investigation was launched.

A man in his early 20s who was known to the family was taken for DNA testing, but police said they could not arrest him until results came back.

Around a month later Makwena, her 25-year-old sister-in-law and 24-year-old family friend allegedly confronted the man, saying he was responsible for the girl’s death.

During the confrontation, the three women are accused of cutting off his penis.

The man was taken to hospital where he named Makwena, Maneli and Pakade as his attackers.

He also underwent a successful surgery to reattach his penis.

Makwena was arrested shortly afterwards and held in jail for two weeks until charity, Enough is Enough, helped raise funds to pay her bail and buy her groceries.

The case has attracted national attention, including from NGO Project Inmate, who published photos of Makwena ahead of her trial.

Speaking outside court on Wednesday, Makwena said:

“When [Chantelle] was found, my heart sank, I was crushed.

“My [daughter] was gone. While we looked for her through the night, she had been lying in that cold toilet. I was broken, I still am.“

A judge adjourned the case until February next year pending further investigation.