A decade after a Cape Town teenager was raped, murdered the suspects still have to be tried
It’s been over a decade since Cytheria Rex was raped and murdered.
Her father’s anguish to see justice served since the men were arrested in 2011 continues as the court case has been postponed 90 times.
Cytheria was 17 when her body was discovered on a field in Eikendal, Kraaifontein, on February 22, 2009.
She had been raped, stabbed, her body mutilated and stuffed into a wheelie bin.
Seven men, Virgil Sass, Oswill Grootboom, Imeraan Hendricks, Lee Cloete, Rhonwen Rhode, Warren Robertson and Keenan Lewis, were charged with her murder.
They pleaded not guilty when they first appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate's Court on December 4, 2009.
In 2011, the case was postponed four times, in 2012 seven times, in 2013 13 times, in 2014 six times, in 2015 10 times, in 2016 eight times, in 2017 nine times, in 2018 11 times and last year 13 times.
This year, the men have appeared in the dock eight times.
One of the main reasons for the delays is that the accused continue to change attorneys.
Dad Keith Rex says: “They say gender-based violence is so important, but I don’t think so. How many other people’s cases have started and finished since my child was murdered?”
There are now six men standing trial for the murder; Robertson was shot dead in 2017 while out on bail.
Two are behind bars and three others are out on bail awaiting their next court appearance.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said on November 25 the case was postponed because “accused 4 and 7 objected to the appointment of their lawyer as he is not conversant in Afrikaans”.
“Legal Aid was informed and the case postponed till 14 December for judicare.”
Judicare is when Legal Aid Services pay for the appointment of a private attorney because there are multiple accused or there is a conflict of interest.
Weekend Argus