Mortimer Saunders, the man accused of raping and killing three-year-old Courtney Pieters, has been granted his wish to get out of jail.
This didn't impress the hordes at court, who cops, with stun grenades, had their hands full to keep in check.
Yesterday, a court ordered that the 40-year-old be held in the hospital section at the Goodwood Prison, for security reasons, after he received death threats in the awaiting-trial section of the prison.
Yesterday, prosecutor Adnaan Gelderbloem asked for a postponement to investigate further. He said results for DNA tests, forensic reports and witness statements were still outstanding.
At this stage, Saunders chose not to apply for his release on bail.
Courtney’s mother, Juanita Pieters, 42, had to be escorted out of court by police after members of her community tried to attack her.
They wanted answers after a newspaper reported that she knew her child had been molested by her alleged killer before her disappearance.
Juanita was taken down to the holding cells immediately after Saunders’ court appearance.
Her eldest daughter, Andrea, 20, told the Daily Voice it was for her own protection.
“The police escorted my mother out because the people wanted to hit her because of the lies people are telling,” she says.
“It is upsetting that people think it is nice to do this to a mother, my mother, who has just lost her baby (Courtney).”
Last Wednesday, minutes before Saunders appeared in the Goodwood Magistrate's Court , he was assaulted by fellow awaiting-trial prisoners in the holding cells below the court, when they learnt he was an accused child killer and rapist.
Police had to rush to assist Saunders, who looked shaken after the incident.
As with his first appearance, the courtroom was jam-packed with Elsies River residents – in addition to those outside in the street, protesting.
Saunders has been charged with the kidnapping, rape and murder of little Courtney, who is the youngest child of his childhood friend Aaron Fourie.
He had been boarding with the family in their Pluto Street home when Courtney disappeared from her home.
He said results for DNA tests, forensic reports and witness statements were still outstanding.
At the first appearance, Legal Aid lawyer Colin Lekay told the court Saunders was employed at a call centre, and that his income exceeded the minimum allowed for free Legal Aid representation.
At yesterday’s proceedings, Lekay said that Legal Aid had since allowed his application, but that the accused no longer wanted free Legal Aid representation and had appointed a privately funded lawyer, Tanya Nockler.
This led to Legal Aid withdrawing from the matter.