If he cared, rave rapist would testify, says #SharishaChauhan's mom

HAPPIER TIMES: Taariq Phillips, 24, and Sharisha Chauhan, 21, while they were still a couple.

HAPPIER TIMES: Taariq Phillips, 24, and Sharisha Chauhan, 21, while they were still a couple.

Published Nov 23, 2018

Share

Cape Town - Convicted rapist Taariq Phillips decided not to testify in the rape and murder trial stemming from the death of his girlfriend, Sharisha Chauhan, because he didn’t want to destroy the legacy of their relationship, the Western Cape High Court heard.

Phillips’ lawyer, advocate Burger Brandt, explained that Phillips’ stance regarding his failure to testify was questioned by Chauhan’s mother, Minesh Deva, in her evidence in aggravation of sentence.

“He says ‘I care too much for Sharisha, that I didn’t want to disclose in an open court in graphic detail what her condition was that night and her actions only for it to be published in tabloids’.

“He says if he told the court everything, the picture painted of Sharisha would’ve been much worse,” said Brandt.

Earlier, Deva told the court she warned her daughter that the rave party at Le Bac Estate in Paarl would be the last she would attend. She said she preferred her daughter to attend house parties where there was no overnight stay.

She said Phillips was withholding information about events that took place on that New Year’s Eve night in December 2013, which led to her daughter’s death the following day. 

“I expected him to tell us more. A lot wasn’t said. Evidence led four years ago, at the start of the murder case, lots of evidence came into light. I was expecting him to tell us the truth, explain the injuries and his role in it.

“I still feel if he felt anything, felt remorse, had a conscience, he would’ve overridden any legal or parental advice not to testify.”

@Zoey_Dano

[email protected]

Cape Argus

Related Topics: