FIVE weeks after the murder four-month pregnant Shanice Rudolph, 23, was found buried in a shallow grave at Klip Road Cemetery in Grassy Park, her family has laid her to rest after DNA was confirmed.

Rudolph’s white coffin remained closed during the ceremony due to the bad state of decomposition.

The funeral took place just days before her boyfriend, Ashwin Davids, and his co-accused, Mozaid Gasant, are expected to be back in the dock at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court next week, 21 January, for the continuation of their formal bail application.

The State has since contended that it would be opposing the bail application.

The men were arrested last week after Rudolph’s decomposing body was found buried in a shallow grave at Klip Road Cemetery, on top of a female corpse, on 9 December. Rudolph went missing on 4 December and was last seen in Cafda, Retreat.

Rudolph’s family, who spoke with the Cape Argus shortly after her burial, said the last weeks have been tough for them as they awaited the DNA results.

The family received the positive confirmation on 9 January and were able to proceed with her funeral arrangements.

Rudolph lay in a white coffin decked with white carnations, and the service took place at the New Apostolic Church in Lavender Hill.

“It has been very hard for the parents and the sisters,” said a family representative.

“We could not open the casket as the face was badly decomposed. We received the DNA results on Friday and then we could go ahead with the funeral preparations. She was laid to rest at Muizenberg Cemetery.”

Rudolph is believed to have been suffocated or choked; earlier claims were that she was beaten with a spade.

The state is set to prove that Davids had allegedly asked a male person to dig a hole, apparently claiming it was for an animal.

The alleged grave digger then reported his suspicions to the police after learning that Rudolph, Davids’ girlfriend, had been reported missing. This led to the discovery of the body being buried.

Earlier, the family revealed that the young woman had longed to become a mother.