‘He was hartseer’: Sias ‘admits’ never intended to kill Cremer
|Published
Under watch: Murder accused Jeremy Sias, 29
“It was not my intention to murder her.”
This is the alleged statement made by murder accused Jeremy Sias after he showed cops where he dumped the body of Meghan Cremer.
Just days after a shocking video of Sias pointing out her body was aired at the Western Cape High Court, a police officer testified that he confessed to killing her.
Taking the stand on Thursday, Sergeant Bandile Mhlekazi told the court that he accompanied the team on August 7, 2021, when Meghan was found dead on a veld in Philippi.
Mhlekazi said after showing cops how he had hidden her corpse under a bush, Sias took two steps back and the cop grabbed him, fearing that the farmworker would try and escape.
“I grabbed him with my right hand at his pants and then he hugged me and said it was not his intention to murder her. One could see he was emotional. You could see he was heartbroken,” said Mhlekazi.
Defence advocate Bashier Sibda told the court that Sias did state this, but only amid alleged promises by detectives.
Sibda said while his client was remorseful for dumping Meghan’s body, he denies murdering the 30-year-old showjumper but knew he was in trouble for taking her car.
“If he admitted [to the murder] he was told, he would get a minimum sentence and get to see his children again.
“He did this to placate Basso [investigating officer] that the promises would be kept. There is no truth in what he had said,” argued Sibda.
According to the indictment, Meghan was accosted by Sias on August 3, 2021 at the Vaderlandsche Rietvlei Stables where she rented a cottage.
It is alleged that he attacked her and strangled her to death after stealing various valuables including her laptop, handbag, bank cards and her Toyota Auris.
He later enlisted the help of Charles Daniels and Shiraaj Jaftha, to help sell her car and they were caught with the vehicle.
They have been charged separately as there was no evidence linking them to her murder.
Sias pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder, robbery, theft and defeating the ends of justice.
He claims he stole Meghan’s car and only later discovered her body in the boot and decided to dump her on a veldjie.
The case continues.