Johannesburg - The man found guilty of torturing a teenage boy to death at his ranger’s camp, was sentenced on Thursday to 25 years in prison by the Vereeniging Regional Court.
Magistrate Retha Willemse told Alex de Koker, 49, in Afrikaans: “On charge one (murder), you are sentenced to 20 years in jail.”
De Koker, the owner of the military-style camp, was also sentenced to five years for child abuse and two years for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
These two sentences will run concurrently.
His co-accused Michael Erasmus, 22, was sentenced to three years under correctional supervision with a 12-year suspended prison sentence.
Raymond Buys, 15, died after attending the Echo Wild Game Rangers camp in 2011.
He was admitted to a Vereeniging hospital following at 10-week stay in the camp, where he was beaten, kicked, forced to eat soap powder and pick up his own faeces with his mouth.
Witnesses testified that De Koker would physically abuse Buys because he was lazy, had a bad attitude and would pick at his wounds.
He had allegedly also tried to commit suicide, which is why he was chained to his bed.
A doctor’s examination of the teenager when he was admitted to hospital a day before his death revealed that he was emaciated, had cigarette burns, was brain damaged and was in a deep coma, with a broken arm and showed signs of kidney failure.
He testified that some of the injuries were up to a month old and that they were the worst he had ever seen.
Willemse told De Koker that he had shown no remorse during the trial. “The deceased was a defenceless child, he was tortured. He had no less than 61 injuries on his body,” she said.
The assaults were premeditated and the torture systematic.
“You were the person in charge… you were the only person on that plot that could’ve put an end to the tragic incidents, but you didn’t.”
She also pointed out that this was not De Koker’s first offence as he was previously convicted of assault that involved children.
“This court has the duty to give you and other offenders a very clear message that crime against children will not be tolerated.”
De Koker frequently shook his head during the proceedings.
Later, his lawyer Phillip Venter indicated that his client would file an appeal.
Willemse, meanwhile, told Erasmus that he was a suitable candidate for corrective supervision. because he showed potential to be rehabilitated.
“At the time, you were on the emotional and intellectual level of a child.” She warned him correctional supervision seemed a light sentence, but it was not. “You will have to explain to your child why people with uniforms come and visit daddy,” she said.
The Star