Murdered Zarah Hector’s cause of death was most likely blunt-force trauma to the head, the Western Cape High Court heard yesterday.
A post-mortem showed Hector’s skull had a fracture behind her temples on the right side, consistent with the impact of a heavy object, and was resting on decomposed bloody fluid.
This was according to forensic pathologist Deidre Abrahams, who was called as a State witness. Hector went missing on March, 14, 2016 with her boyfriend’s BMW Z3.
Her fully-clothed body was found in a shallow grave wrapped in two plastic bags with electrical cords around it, on a farm in Groot Drakenstein on March 24, 2016.
Hector was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a hammer because she owed the accused drug money. Taufeeq Ebrahim, 26, from Malibu Village and Renaldo van Rooyen, 33, from Kuils River have been charged with Hector’s murder, defeating the ends of justice and robbery of a vehicle.
Abrahams testified: “On initial examination, March 26, there were all stages of maggots present. They appeared to be present 5 to 10 days from investigation.
“In her right bra cup there was a glass bulb typical for use of tik and in her left bra cup was a small plastic sachet and a 50 cent coin.”
State witness Amy Starkey from Kuils River said she had introduced the two accused, mere days before Hector and her boyfriend’s car went missing.
This after Ebrahim had passed her in the street and asked for a place he could “relax”. “I told him I know somebody and that was
Renaldo.” Starkey said on March 16, both accused pulled up at her house with a
BMW Z3.
“They said they wanted to sell the car and asked if I knew anyone that would be interested in buying it. They said it was Taufeeq’s uncle’s car.”
The trial continues.