The family of the slain 13-year-old Rene Stacy Roman from Lavender Hill cried tears of joy on Monday when her killer received two life terms for the heinous crime.
The family said they could breathe a sigh of relief when, after nearly 18 months, 50-year-old Andrew Plaatjies got his “just sentence”. Plaatjies was sentenced just minutes after admitting guilt for a charge of attempted rape and a charge of murder.
In his plea agreement, Plaatjies admitted to attempting to have sexual intercourse with Rene at a home in Saint Agatha Street in Lavender Hill, by “pulling a plastic bag over her head, pulling down her panty, also assaulted her on three occasions on the head with an axe, and once behind the head to neutralise her, and to enable to rape her without consent”.
He also pleaded guilty to murder after he killed Rene by hitting her with a blunt object (the back of the axe) on her head. Plaatjies said in his plea agreement that he had wanted to rape Rene, and in his “preparation stage” pulled the plastic bag over her head then assaulted her with the axe.
“On seeing what he had done and the deceased was no longer moving, he became scared and did not proceed with the rape,” the plea agreement read.
The initial, agreed-upon sentence between both the State prosecutor, Ntsoaki Mabilietse, and defence advocate Henk Carstens for the attempted rape was eight years, and a life sentence for the murder charge.
However, Henny pointed out that the minimum sentence for an attempted rape on a minor is also punishable with a life sentence, as provided for in the Sexual Offences Act. This prompted the counsel to amend the plea agreement accordingly – a life sentence for each charge.
Rene’ Roman's stepfather, Mervyn Jacobs, comments outside court after sentencing in the presence of Chrissandre Jacobs, her mother, and Maurene de Villiers, her grandmother. Video: Chevon Booysen
Rene went missing on March 10, 2017 and after 10 days of searching, her half-naked body was found wrapped in a mat in a wendy house near her home.
On Monday, supporters comforted Rene’s mother, Chrissandre Jacobs, her grandmother, Maurene de Villiers, and Rene’s stepfather, Mervyn Jacobs, who were visibly filled with emotion in court as Plaatjies’ charges were being read out.
Mervyn said although this would not bring Rene back, their family can now start their healing journey.
Henney described Rene’s murder as “one of the sad cases” where children are abducted, raped and murdered by perpetrators often known to the victims and their families.
“Cases like these are a serious concern to the court because it seems it is a recurring theme. The question remains how do we stop people like you from hurting children, because in most cases these perpetrators are known to the victim. It must stop,” Henney said.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said they welcomed the sentence.