'Give Jordaan 2 life terms'

2008-06-06 19:17

Pretoria - Two life sentences were an appropriate punishment for convicted murderer Andrew Jordaan, the Pretoria High Court heard on Friday.

In his final argument, state prosecutor Andre Fourie asked the court to hand down two life imprisonment sentences to Jordaan for the murder of seven-year-old Sheldean Human and the rape of her friend.

The court heard how Jordaan had acted in a premeditated manner in the February murder of Human and how Jordaan, on Thursday, was described as a paedophile who should be held responsible for his actions.

"On charges one and four - murder and rape respectively - a minimum sentence of life imprisonment will be appropriate," Fourie told the court.

He added that the court had a responsibility towards the community who took the case seriously.

Meanwhile, Jordaan's advocate Khomotso Tlouane appealed to the court to show mercy to his client as he was worried about the effect a lengthy jail term would have on Jordaan's state of mind.

To this acting judge Chris Eksteen said: "It's sad that the accused did not take the court into his confidence.

"If you say Jordaan's life has been shortened, what about the lives of Sheldean and her friend?"

Tlouane said the prison sentence should not be too long as to break his client, to which Eksteen said: "He's still young".

The defence also argued that Sheldean initiated contact with the accused by telling him that she did not get food or love from her own family. This also applied to her friend who has since been taken into foster care.

Tests conducted on Jordaan revealed a man who had a low IQ, and a person who showed signs of depression and a low intellect ability.

Old habits

The defence argued that Jordaan could be rehabilitated as he was a first time offender.

Fourie, however, said that 80 to 90% of the time, paedophiles who received therapy tended to fall back into old habits. He said that therapy was only possible if a person accepted that he or she needed help but that Jordaan had not accepted that he had a problem.

Jordaan sat in the dock with a swollen face. It was believed he had been beaten in prison on Thursday night.

Eksteen noted this and asked Jordaan if he was okay but Jordaan did not respond, to the dismay of his family in the gallery.

The court would make a decision on his sentencing on Monday.

Outside court, top policeman Piet Byleveld said he hoped for a lengthy sentence while a placard placed on the pavement read "Gooi hom in 'n leeu hok of 'n mynskag" loosely translated as "throw him into a lion enclosure or a mine shaft".

- SAPA