Cape Town - The prosecution has dismissed alleged child killer Ameerudien Peters’s claims that he washed and looked after murdered Jeremiah Ruiters well, presenting evidence that contradicted his claims.
Prosecutor Maria Marshall presented pictures from the post-mortem report in the Western Cape High Court to the accused, which clearly showed that 18-month-old Jeremiah was in a filthy state on the day of his death on June 12, 2017.
“His neck is clearly dirty. Look, his skin is dirty, under his nails. Look at the inside of his ears,” she said.
An angry Peters responded: “He was well taken care of when I looked after him.”
Marshall also exhibited crime scene photos, showing their filthy Wendy house with clothes strewn everywhere, and dirty dishes lying around.
“The place is filthy and messy, won’t you say?” Marshall asked.
Peters answered: “Yes, it looks like someone went through the cupboards looking for things.”
Along with his co-accused Abigail Ruiters, the mother of the toddler, Peters is accused of murdering Jeremiah in June 2017.
Peters said he met Ruiters in a pub in Maitland in October 2016. He moved in a month later and asked her to marry him in February 2017 because she “understood” him.
The mother also faces a charge of child neglect. The post-mortem report showed the toddler died as a result of blunt force trauma to his spine. He also suffered a cracked skull, broken ribs, injuries to his internal organs and bite marks on his body.
@TheCapeArgus