Cape Town - For more than a decade, Sara Asmall has travelled from KwaZulu-Natal to Cape Town to attend the trial of Faizel Hendricks, the man accused of killing her daughter.
Despite the emotional stress of having to relive her daughter’s death, Asmall encouraged people to attempt private prosecutions - which secured the conviction of her daughter’s killer.
On Friday Asmall, who again made the long journey to attend court, endured another postponement in the sentencing proceedings of Hendricks, who was found guilty of killing her daughter Rocehlle Naidoo on June 28, 2005.
Asmall told the Cape Argus that the whole experience was “emotionally taxing”.
“You wake up very early to be on a plane by 6am and you come here over many winters and many summers and you hear about your child all over again… it hurts,” she said.
Asmall said she has endured the “financial and emotional weight” over the years - with the end of June marking the 10th year since her daughter’s death - and that she wanted to put the matter to rest.
“When he was convicted it gave me some joy, but now he’s not being sentenced,” she said.
Naidoo had been in charge of a retail store in Cape Town and had been living with Hendricks in 2005.
Hendricks had pleaded not guilty to the murder 10 years ago, saying Naidoo had shot herself. Naidoo’s parents sought justice through private prosecution and Hendricks was convicted in July last year.
Private prosecutions refer to criminal cases instituted by individuals or an organisation which can proceed after the director of public prosecutions (DPP) issues a certificate to privately prosecute.
Hendricks’ conviction is believed to be the first in the country as a result of private prosecution.
“I always encourage people to pursue it (private prosecutions) because then you’ll know in the end that you are satisfied and can close the book,” Asmall said.
The court heard on Friday that more questions needed to be put to witness Eugene Francois Mulder, a probation officer from the Department of Social Development who compiled a report. Mulder, who was not present, needed to be recalled to the witness stand.
Magistrate Michelle Adams postponed the matter to September 29.
The matter will be heard in the Malmesbury Magistrate’s Court for Hendricks’ next appearance.
Asmall said the experience has also made her a little bit stronger adding that people were curious about the case.
“Although we are very protective of our children, we don’t always know what’s going on in their lives.”
Cape Argus