The mother of murdered Ocean View teen Camron Britz broke down outside Simon’s Town Magistrates’ Court, following the second appearance of Mogammad Yagyah Rubain, arrested in connection with the rape and murder of her daughter.
Berenice Britz was inconsolable. This comes a day after the 41-year-old woman had gone to identify her daughter’s body at the city morgue.
A family member said that they were only shown the 14-year-old’s face and spared the gruesome state of the rest of her body.
Rubain, 19, had handed himself over to police fearing what the Ocean View community might do to him.
Gone was the calm demeanour he displayed the previous day, as he entered the packed courtroom and covered his face with his green rain jacket and a cap.
Magistrate Crystal Mackenna had granted consent for the media to take photographs despite the accused’s counsel opposing, citing that it was in the interest of the public.
State prosecutor Darlin Buchner reiterated the State’s opposing of bail due to its zero tolerance on cases against perpetrators of violence against women and children.
“There are eyewitness accounts of the accused running into the bushes with the victim and later leaving the area without her.
“This follows accounts of him luring the victim away from a community bonfire under pretence that her father sent him to collect her,” said Buchner.
Rubain’s counsel stated her client would abandon his bail application and would await
the completion of the investigation.
Mackenna postponed the matter until August 8 with the accused remaining in custody.
Camron’s body was discovered on Sunday, after a frantic search following her
disappearance.
A member of the search party said the horrific discovery was made by her 11-year-old brother, who was receiving counselling.
Ocean View community members and children picketed outside court in support of Camron’s family and opposing bail for the suspect.
It all became too much for Britz, who broke down and became ill while crying out her daughter’s name.