The trial of four men, who stand accused of murdering and raping Stellenbosch student Hannah Cornelius back in May of last year, began yesterday in the Western Cape High Court.
The day’s proceedings were adjourned before the first witness could take the stand. That’s due to take place today, with the adjournment occurring when a “state advocate representing accused number one, Vernon Witbooi, asked to consult his client about the admissibility of a confession he had made to the police a day after she was killed”.
Witbooi, along with Geraldo Parsons, Eben van Niekerk and Nashville Julius, faces charges that include murder, robbery, kidnapping and rape.
Whilst the court will likely be packed with family and friends of Cornelius, her mother will not be there, having passed away in March of this year in a drowning accident near Scarborough beach.
Here’s News24 with a look at the prosecution’s version of events:
According to details included in the indictment, Cornelius and her friend Cheslin Marsh were accosted in her VW Citi Golf at the corner of Jan Celliers and Bird streets in the early hours of May 27, 2017.
Cornelius was allegedly beaten into submission and a screwdriver was used to threaten her, while Marsh was forced into the backseat of his friend’s car at knifepoint.
Cornelius was pushed between the two seats and robbed of her purse and cellphone, while Marsh’s clothes, cellphone, wallet, longboard, backpack and earrings were taken, the indictment stated.
It is understood that, after the robbery, Julius left the scene.
It is further alleged that Witbooi, Parsons and Van Niekerk then drove to another location in Stellenbosch, where Marsh was forced into the boot. They then headed to Kraaifontein, where Marsh was assaulted and stoned before he was left for dead.
Cornelius was then driven to a bush near a paintball range in Bottelary Road, where she was raped, the State alleges.
From there, she was taken to an area near the Groenhof Farm in Stellenbosch, where she was stabbed twice in the neck. She also sustained severe blunt-force trauma to her head and body, ostensibly after a “big rock” was thrown at her.
The three then allegedly went on a crime spree. They are accused of chasing, assaulting and robbing a woman of her bag, two cellphones, pearls and a wallet in Northpine Drive, between Brackenfell and Kraaifontein.
This one really does seem like an open-and-shut case, because the alleged crime spree continued until the men were arrested on the same day, driving Cornelius’ car, when a chase ensued.
The next day, Vernon Witbooi made a confession to the police.
We wrote about that chase last year, but here’s the video once more:
Cheslin Marsh will be the first witness, and you can bet his testimony is going to be emotionally charged.
The four accused have pleaded not guilty.
Update: here is Witbooi’s confession:
Vernon Witbooi’s confession made the day after #HannahCornelius’ murder. (@TammyPetersen87) pic.twitter.com/roHgxwIvn5
— Team News24 (@TeamNews24) October 10, 2018
[source:news24]
