The two men convicted of murdering Kuils River mother, Zarah Jane Hector, in 2016 will hear their fate later this month when sentencing is handed down.
In May, Renaldo van Rooyen from Sarepta, and Tawfeeq Ebrahim from Tuscany Glen, were found guilty of bludgeoning to death the 33-year-old mom of two in March 2016 in Van Rooyen’s garage.
They also stole and tried to sell Zarah’s boyfriend’s BMW Z3 she was driving at the time.
Zarah’s decomposing body was found dumped on a farm in Klein Drakenstein 10 days after she went missing.
On Tuesday, defence counsels for the pair asked the court to deviate from the minimum sentence of life imprisonment for murder and 15 years for robbery as arguments in mitigation and aggravation of sentencing were heard.
APPEAR: Tawfeeq Ebrahim and Renaldo van Rooyen in court. Photo: Noor Slamdien/ ANA Pictures
The duo had declined to take the stand in their own defence, instead blaming each other for Zarah’s murder.
Van Rooyen’s lawyer, Advocate Peter Burgess, said his client was a good father and previously wanted to become a man of the cloth.
“The accused was unable to obtain permanent employment and he had dreams of becoming a preacher. He supported his children to the best and the very limit of his ability.
“He does not have a previous conviction as previously stated, but was convicted after the proceedings in this matter have already gone forth. Thus he must be treated as a first-time offender,” Burgess submitted.
Burgess asked the court to take into consideration the fact that his client has been incarcerated for two years and four months.
“Drugs, in particular tik, played a role in this. They were smoking tik at the time of the event.
“A life sentence is the harshest sentence and therefore we’re asking the court to consider him for parole after 25 years.
“He’s young ...and also does not pose a danger to society and is capable of rehabilitation as stated by the social services report,” Burgess submitted.
Ebrahim’s lawyer, Advocate Wimpie Strauss, shared the same sentiments and said jail was bad for his client.
He said the stress of Ebrahim’s failed marriage led him to seek refuge in drugs.
“The circumstances are appalling for prisoners held at Pollsmoor,” Strauss submitted.
“He just lost his wife in a divorce. She was having an extra marital affair with his family member and they conceived a child.
“He was a person at the wrong place at the wrong time and took a wrong decision. He was in dire straits with his life. He also lost his children. He asked for help on two occasions, but reverted to methamphetamine (tik) to help him cope.”
But State prosecutor, Advocate Maria Marshall, says Zarah’s brutal murder demanded the harshest punishment possible.
“The deceased was killed in a cold blooded and defenceless manner. She was no match for the accused. She was repeatedly hit over her head.
“They wrapped her body in a plastic like she was garbage and went to dump her clearly in an attempt to get rid of evidence.
“Then they casually drove around.
“They had a night of fun after the callous and heinous murder. This crime was committed out of pure greed,” Marshall submitted.
The matter has been postponed to 20 August for sentencing.