EXCLUSIVE: Rapists sentenced in country’s longest running trial
Cytheria Rex was stabbed more than 30 times.
Image: File
South Africa’s longest-running rape and murder trial has finally reached a victorious end with the killers of 17-year-old Cytheria Rex sentenced to life imprisonment.
The verdict has been received with mixed emotions by Cytheria's mother, Jacqueline Rex, who was both relieved and sad because it had taken nearly two decades.
"Thank you, Jesus," she said.
"I am happy but I am sad as well, there is tears of joy.
"I cannot thank the Lord enough, thank you Jesus."
Cytheria was raped and murdered in Kraaifontein on February 21, 2009, after a party.
She was subjected to a sustained and frenzied knife attack and her killers had tried to get rid of her body by throwing it over a wall.
When they were not successful, they placed her into a wheelie bin and dumped it on a field.
Virgil Sass was 16 at the time, Oswill Grootboom was 17; Imraan Hendricks, 17; Lee Cloete, 18; and Ronwen Rhodes was 20.
Sass, Grootboom and Hendricks were sentenced to 25 years behind bars.
Cloete and Rhodes were sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in Cytheria’s murder.
Two of the other accused have since died - Warren Robertson and Keenan Lewis.
The case was postponed over 115 times.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said the delays in the case were inexcusable, and not caused by the State.
"The accused frustrated the case with long delays resulting in it being postponed more than a hundred times - 54 times on account of legal representatives, four times on account of the magistrate, seven times on account of further particulars, two times on accounts of representations, seven times on account of bail applications, 22 times on account of the accused being absent in court, two times on account of the prosecutor being absent, 21 times on account of the trial commencing, one time on account of Covid-19, two counts of witnesses being absent in court, one time on account of the recording machine not working, two times on account of accused who died, one time on account of arguments, four times on account of sentencing, two times on account of submission of reports, and three times on account of the appointment of a new magistrates to preside over the matter.
Three of the accused in Cytheria Rex’s case exit the Blue Downs Regional Court after another postponement.
Image: Independent Newspapers Archive
"This case is another demonstration of our never give up attitude for justice especially for victims of gender-based violence and femicide.
"We hope the family and the community will find solace in knowing that the accused who caused them unbearable pain will spend a very long time in prison paying a heavy price for the heinous crimes they committed," Ntabazalila said.
He said when arriving at the decision, the Magistrate noted that the three accused were juveniles at the time of the offence, but that did not detract from the brutality of the offence.
“The Regional Court Magistrate said that all accused came from very good households. The crime committed was so heinous that even though three of the accused were juveniles, it does not take away the gruesomeness of the offence and could not deviate from the sentence,” he explained.
“The deceased was Cytheria Rex and was only 17 years old when she was murdered. This case was also known as the sin bin matter as the deceased was dumped into a wheelie bin.
“The Regional Court prosecutor, Mr Marco Chandler, was still a district court prosecutor relieving in the regional court when he started this case. Mr Chandler did an excellent job. Well done.”
Previously, DA NCOP Member on Security and Justice, MP Nicholas Gotsell, called on the Judge President to intervene after previously writing to the Minister of Mmamoloko Kubayi, asking why the case was not prioritised.
In response to Gotsell, the Minister said via a parliamentary question that the main reason for the delay was due to reasons relating to lawyers, judicare, magistrates' absenteeism, witnesses, and typed court records.