‘He gave me R1000 and told me to shhh...’
Shocking details have emerged about the brutal attack on UWC student Jesse Hess as one of the men accused of murdering her says he watched as David van Boven aggressively tackled her as she tried to flee.
Tasliem “Boontjie” Ambrose took the stand for the second time at the Western Cape High Court yesterday and provided graphic details on the murders of Jesse and her 85-year-old oupa Chris Lategan, saying he witnessed Van Boven viciously attack them.
Their deaths sparked an outcry when their bodies were found in their Parow flat on 30 August 2019.
Both of them had been strangled to death, while the state has revealed that Jesse was also raped during an apparent robbery.
David, an alleged member of the 28s gang, went on the run and was found hiding in Struisbaai several months later.
In his testimony, Boontjie said Oupa Chris opened the door for them. He said David asked for something to eat and the oupa told them there wasn’t much in the house.
After he made them tea to drink, David suddenly attacked Chris.
“I heard the voice of a meisiekind from the toilet. She came out with a towel around her head. She came to look who was in the house,” he testified.
“I sat there in shock for what just happened, I did not know why he just choked the grootman.”
He said Jesse ran into the bathroom and David chased after her and loud screams were heard before he saw the frightened girl run for the front door.
“She tried to run outside the house but he stopped her from getting out. He said to her he only made a joke and she said you don’t make jokes like that.”
Boontjie said “the next moment het David vir Jesse platgeduik”.
“He grabbed her by the shoulder and tackled her like in a rugby move. He hit her in the stomach with his shoulder and she fell over. Hy het haar geduik.
“She fell over and he took out his shoelaces and tied up her hands and told her to stand up and walk to the room.”
Boontjie said Van Boven told him to remove the TV from the lounge.
He saw an opportunity to escape himself but his hopes were dashed when he found Van Boven had locked the front door and taken the key.
He said when the room door eventually opened, he saw the scared meisie sitting on the floor with her pants removed.
“She sat dood stil. She said nothing.”
Boontjie also gave a description of the layout of the Parow flat, which matched the evidence handed up in court.
He also heard Jesse give Van Boven the pin to her bank card and said he was in the car when he withdrew R100 from her account.
“After he took me home, I was sick. I am not a violent person but I was scared to run away because he knows those areas very well and I did what he told me to do.
“I was scared he would find me. He gave me R1000 after he sold the stuff and told me ‘shhh’.”