Pretoria -
A warrant of arrest was issued on Monday for a mother accused of murdering her baby boy, as she did not show up for her trial, apparently because she had suffered a nervous breakdown.
Pretoria High Court Judge Lettie Molopa, who issued the warrant, ordered that it stand over to Wednesday to give Juanita Oldewage, 25, (who uses her maiden name, Fourie) the chance to appear in court.
Juanita and her estranged husband, Christiaan Dydelief Oldewage, 27, are facing charges of murder and child abuse.
Juanita’s son, Christiaan, died in December 2011 – three-and-a-half weeks after birth.
The couple were married shortly before the birth.
Oldewage is, according to the indictment, not the biological father of the baby, although the little boy carried his name.
Little Christiaan was born on November 16, 2011 and according to the State, the accused beat him to death.
It is said that, in circumstances unknown to the State, the couple repeatedly assaulted him, allowed him to be assaulted or failed to protect him from being assaulted.
He was taken for medical attention on December 10, 2011 and discharged.
He was admitted to the Montana Hospital again three days later.
He had several injuries, including a skull and rib fractures.
He died the same day and the cause of death was given as multiple injuries.
The accused have not yet pleaded to the charges, as the trial was due to start on Monday.
Oldewage, who is in custody, appeared alone in the dock and Judge Molopa was handed a psychologist’s certificate that said Juanita had suffered a nervous breakdown.
This condition “made it impossible for her to attend court.”
The psychologist said Juanita would be ready “hopefully” to face the court on Friday (the last day for which the trial was set down).
Her counsel said he had battled to obtain instructions from her regarding her defence.
Juanita also indicated through her lawyer that she “feared facing the court and her co-accused”, to whom she was still married, and that “it was all just too much for her”.
Judge Molopa questioned why she could not come to court if she was not in hospital.
The State also indicated its displeasure. Prosecutor Cornelia Harmzen said the investigating officer was going to follow up on Juanita’s claims of ill health. It also appeared that she had kept him in the dark about her latest address.
The prosecutor asked for the warrant to be issued, but that it be held over until Wednesday.
Harmzen said all the State witnesses – most of them hospital staff and doctors – were ready to proceed with their evidence.
The court was told by the defence it would “prolong” Juanita’s suffering” if she was made to come to court on Wednesday, but the judge was adamant she had to be at court.
Pretoria News
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