Man admits to murder of girl, 6

2002-05-20 22:53

Cape Town - A 19-year-old Cape Flats man admitted in the Cape High Court on Monday that he had raped and murdered a six-year-old girl, e.tv news reported.

Samantha Isaacs was one of five young girls to be raped and killed on the Cape Flats almost two years ago.

Her body was found in a disused classroom at Lavender Hill High School. She had been raped, assaulted and strangled.

Hours later police arrested Ronaldo Miller.

"I'm glad the case started ... It's all I want to say," said Ellen Isaacs, who was at home when her daughter made her last trip to the shop.

Miller pleaded guilty to raping and murdering Samantha, but the State refused to accept his plea. The State said Miller's account in his plea explanation was watered down and contained inaccuracies.

At the hearing, the State called the doctor who had performed the post mortem on the murdered girl.

Miller had already admitted that after raping Samantha, he had strangled her with his bare hands. But the doctor testified that Miller could have used a blunt object to hit her over the head and a rope-like material to strangle her.

She had two skull fractures, abrasions on her neck and throat and injuries to her genitalia.

In his plea explanation, Miller asked Samantha's family for forgiveness and said he would accept any sentence which the court deemed fit.

- SAPA