Valencia Farmer’s mother, Sylvia, says the arrest of another person in the horrific murder of her daughter has opened old wounds.
Farmer, a single mother, was speaking as Elmario Maasdorp appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Monday for his alleged role in the 1999 crime.
Farmer was surrounded by women from the community and children’s rights organisations.
Maasdorp, dressed in a green fleece jacket, appeared briefly in court. He wrung his hands as he appeared on charges of murder and rape.
He will not be applying for bail and has been remanded to the Malmesbury Medium B Prison.
Arrests
Valencia Farmer was raped in an abandoned house in Eucalyptus Street, Eersterivier, in June 1999.
She was repeatedly stabbed and her throat slit. She crawled into the street where a neighbour found her.
She later died in Tygerberg Hospital, but was able to tell police who her attackers were.
Six men were initially arrested. Only three were convicted and sentenced. Glenville Faro and Franklyn Roberts received two life sentences each. They failed to get parole this year and will apply again early next year.
Russel van Wyk, who was 16 when he was sentenced in March 2001, was sentenced to 23 years in jail. Both of his parole applications, in 2013 and 2014, were rejected.
Two others were released because they could not be linked to the crime. The sixth man was acquitted due to a lack of evidence.
Forgiveness
When asked if she would ever forgive the men who killed Valencia, her mother thought for a few seconds before answering: “Would you be able to forgive the people who raped and killed your child so brutally?”
During court proceedings, prosecutor Louis Van Niekerk read a letter from the Greater Blue Downs Community Police Forum which appealed to the court for a speedy trial.
“A strong message needs to be sent that the justice system is not as weak as people think,” Van Niekerk read.
The State indicated that the matter would be referred to the Western Cape High Court. It was postponed to October 16 for further investigation.
Source: News24
South Africa Today – South Africa News
