Cape Town – Justice has finally been served after 12 years when Andrew Jordaan received a life sentence for murder and 10 years for rape in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday.
Mother-of-three Felicity Cilliers, 31, from Stellenbosch, was raped with "excessive force", hit consistently with a blunt object on her head, strangled and left for dead in a vineyard near the Longlands farm on the Polkadraai Road in May 2007. Her 14-month-old baby died two months after the incident.
While Cilliers' body was found a week after she went missing, Jordaan, 35, was only arrested in Ladysmith in August last year, with DNA evidence linking him to the murder. Jordaan was convicted on May 19.
Jordaan had just been released on parole when he committed the crime. He had pleaded not guilty on both counts and initially denied ever having sexual intercourse with the deceased, but changed his tune after State advocate Mbulelo Koti confronted him with DNA results.
He then told the court that the sexual intercourse was consensual.
Koti argued during aggravation of sentence that Jordaan had previous convictions involving violent crimes against women. He also argued that the accused committed other violent crimes against women a month after raping and killing the deceased.
“He has a propensity to commit crimes against women. The deceased and her family knew the accused as they used to socialise together on weekends.
"The death of the deceased caused secondary trauma to her children, who became addicted to drugs. The accused never apologised to the family, never took the court into its confidence and showed remorse.
“He killed a defenceless woman who never provoked him. His actions show that this was a premeditated murder as he dragged the deceased to a secluded area and violated her dignity and privacy.
"The interests of justice and society demand that the accused be sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and 10 years for the rape of the deceased,” Koti said.
The court agreed, sentenced him accordingly and further ordered that he is not fit to possess a firearm.
On the first day of the trial, a trial within a trial was established following a dispute about evidence. The defence had wanted a statement taken by the investigating officer to be declared inadmissible by the court.
Die Son reported that Cilliers' father, Johannes, had vowed he would never rest until the person responsible for his daughter's death was convicted. He attended every day of the trial with his son Esau.
A 23-page report compiled by probation officer and social worker Bridget Buys, which was handed over in court, stated: “The victim’s father, Johannes Cilliers, during consultation was observed to be suffering immense pain because of the death of his daughter. He is still crying over her death.
“Her three children were 9 years, 13 years and 14 months old at the time. The baby died on October 19, 2007, after being admitted to hospital for three days for gastroenteritis."
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: "The NPA welcomes this sentence as it demonstrates once more its commitment in the fight against gender-based violence, provide support to victims of the crimes and ensure suitable sentences are meted - out by the courts."