Pretoria - Investigators trawled through 31 000 e-mails on the laptop of a Pretoria East woman who allegedly had sex with two dogs, the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court heard on Wednesday.
Jana Smit, a 31-year-old petite blonde, faces four counts of bestiality and one of animal cruelty.
Her former lover and co-accused Morne Fourie, 38, faces five charges of bestiality, possession of child pornography and sexual enticement.
Fourie, an IT specialist from Garsfontein, was arrested early on Thursday morning.
It is alleged that he helped to produce some of the pornographic images.
As Smit stepped into the dock, neatly dressed in black pants and a crisp white blouse, she handed her Bible to a friend who sat in the front row of the public gallery, taking notes.
Smit briefly glanced at Fourie and stared straight ahead for the rest of the court proceedings.
Smit was released on R1 000 bail in August and the court ordered she undergo a mental assessment at the Moot police station before Wednesday’s appearance. The outcome of the assessment will be disclosed during her trial.
Defence lawyer Mario Coetzee told the court Fourie could afford R1 000 bail. He said he was in the “IT business” and earned between R10 000 and R15 000 a month.
Smit was arrested in August following a complaint from an animal protection organisation.
It is alleged that the organisation and the NSPCA had received home-made video footage and photographs of Smit having sex with a Staffordshire terrier (staffie) and a Labrador.
The footage was immediately taken to the Moot police station. Smit was arrested hours later.
It is believed that the staffie belonged to Smit’s neighbours. At the time of her arrest, the Labrador was taken to the NSPCA where it was put up for adoption.
State prosecutor Careth Rietgat told the court all investigations had been completed and a prosecutor had to be appointed to the case. She asked the court to give the prosecutor enough time to study the docket.
Magistrate Maryke de la Rey granted Fourie bail of R1 000.
She told the two they had to report back to court on November 6 and were not allowed to leave SA without notifying the investigating officer.
Outside court, Smit’s attempt to hide from photographers failed when she was not allowed to leave through the back entrance of the court.
Her friend who was disguised in a cap and sunglasses asked photographers who they were waiting for and even warned them: “My friend does not like cameras.”
Smit eventually emerged from the building about an hour after her appearance.
Pretoria News