Meghan Cremer’s relationship with a show jumper questioned in court
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Michael Mohr testified that he doesn’t get involved in other people’s private business during the trial of Jeremy Sias accused of killing Meghan Cremer. Picture: Rafieka Williams
Cape Town - The trial of Jeremy Sias continued in the Western Cape High Court on day, when Meghan Cremer’s relationship with show jumper Thomas Mbalula was put under a microscope.
State advocate Emily van Wyk had called Michael Mohr, 24 – the son of Vaderlandsche farm owner, Geoffrey Mohr – to the stand.
This was after defence lawyer Mohamed Sibda asked Mbalula to leave the court room as he intended to recall him as a witness. Mohr testified that he was friends with Sias since childhood and remained friends into adulthood.
“I knew him when we were in primary school. We used to play together in the vlei and we played soccer together. As we grew older, we became more friendly,” he said.
He said he was living on the farm when Cremer went missing on August 3, 2019, and although they were friends, Sias was never allowed in the house.
He said he spoke to Sias that day after he returned from college. Sias had asked him about a bottle of brandy Mohr had promised him but he told Sias he didn’t have time to get the brandy and then went back to work.
During cross-examination, Sibda questioned Mohr about his friendship with Mbalula, asking him why the relationship between Mbalula and Cremer hadn’t been explained to the investigating officer, considering Mbalula was the last person to see Cremer alive.
Sibda further enquired as to the “secrecy or reluctance” regarding sharing news of the relationship.
Mohr said he was told about the relationship but “let it go”. He said he heard about an incident in which Cremer and Mbalula apparently shared a room during a horse show trip. He said the relationship hadn’t crossed his mind when Cremer went missing.
“We weren’t thinking that someone having a relationship with someone was important, we were trying to find her. I don’t get involved with other people’s private business.”
On Thursday, the State intends to play further video footage of Sias pointing out Cremer’s remains after the court had technical difficulties playing a video of Sias being interviewed by police officer Winston Pickard.