After more than two years, murder accused Abigail Ruiters and Ameerodien Peters will finally know their fate next week when the judge hands down his verdict.
The State and defence counsels handed over their heads of arguments to Judge Monde Samela in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday.
Ruiters, 31, and Peters, 28, are on trial for the rape and murder of Abigail's son, Jeremiah, one, at their home in Salamander Square, Kensington in 2017.
MANG AAN: Abigail Ruiters.
The duo face two more charges of child abuse relating to Ruiters’ two surviving children.
State prosecutor Maria Marshall asked for both accused to be found guilty on all charges.
“It’s clear Jeremiah wasn’t cared for. Ruiters answering she doesn’t remember or know about injuries just doesn’t gel.”
Marshall said Peters, who is accused of raping the toddler, “without any reasonable doubt” murdered the boy.
“There were several head injuries. It means there was not just one blow, but direct blunt force trauma was applied. His spine was broken.
“It’s my submission Peters inflicted those injuries. Jeremiah didn’t do this to himself, neither did his sisters,” Marshall said.
But Peters’ lawyer, Adv. Alan Koester, says there's not enough evidence to convict his client of negligence, rape or murder.
“The evidence falls short. I submit injuries could’ve been sustained when he fell with and on the child (when he ran with him to the hospital on the day Jeremiah died),” he said.
'CHILD KILLER': Ameerodien Peters, 27, in court.
Ruiters’ lawyer, Yasmin Rajap, says her client "did what she could" to protect her son.
Koester then said he had an instruction from his client: “My client orders to be moved to a single cell. He was just moved to a new section recently and the sections are fighting (gangs). He’s now stuck in the middle and his life’s in danger.”
But Judge Samela said: “Here are no orders here. You will have to speak to management at the prison.”