The family of slain three-year-old Courtney Pieters on Tuesday relived the nightmare of her death as judgement and sentencing proceedings against Mortimer Saunders began in the Western Cape High Court.
Judge Babalwa Mantame read through evidence and statements that were brought before the court during the trial, rehashing the harrowing testimonies of Courtney’s mom, Juanita Pieters; pathologist Professor Johan Dempers; and Marsha Wenn, Courtney’s cousin who lived in a Wendy house on the Elsies River property.
Saunders was arrested for the rape and murder of little Courtney after she went missing from her Pluto Street home in Salberau on 4 May last year.
Mantame said Prof. Dempers was “careful and meticulous in his evidence”.
An expressionless Saunders, dressed in a brown leather jacket and jeans, listened as Mantame read the plea admission he submitted, in which he admitted to murdering Courtney who was left in the care of her brother on 4 May.
Courtney Pieters
Saunders, who had rented a room in the Pieters family home for about two years, admitted to feeding Courtney ant poison after mixing the powder solution with water, saying he did this after he was irritated with the little girl waking him for a second time because she wanted to watch TV in his room, and “due to compounded ill feelings” between himself and Juanita.
He said he did not intend to kill Courtney but just wanted to make her ill.
However, when the family started to look for her and she tried to respond to their calls, he hit her with his fist and placed a towel over her mouth and choked her.
Courtney’s decomposing body was found in Bofors Circle, Epping Industria, after a nine-day search.
FULL HOUSE: The public gallery was packed with supporters
Saunders was an active member of the search parties that went out daily, even serving tea to searchers.
He denied raping Courtney, but admitted to performing a sexual act on the toddler’s corpse when he penetrated her with three fingers and thereafter taking out his genitals and rubbing it around her genitals “but not penetrating her with it”.
He also pleaded guilty to murder but submitted it was without premeditation.
The State has rejected this.
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The court was packed with supporters wearing blue T-shirts bearing the little girl’s picture.
Juanita and Courtney’s dad, Aaron Fourie, sat metres away from Saunders.
Judgement and sentencing are set to continue Wednesday and Thursday.