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'I knew he'd taken her to bed'
27/03/2008 09:13 - (SA)
Jeanne-Marié Versluis, Beeld
Pretoria - "I knew Andrew would take her."
"I was sure Andrew would take her to his room and to his bed," a friend of murdered Sheldean Human, 7, allegedly told captain L'Marie Strauss, head social worker of the police and a forensic evaluator.
Strauss testified in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday in the trial of Andrew Jordaan, 25.
Jordaan, from Vom Hagen Street in Pretoria West, stands accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering Sheldean on Sunday February 18 2007.
He allegedly also raped and indecently assaulted Sheldean's friend (now 9) from June 2006 until February 2007.
Pointed him out
Sheldean and her family lived in a commune in Ernest Street, Pretoria Gardens, in the western parts of the city.
According to the State, Sheldean and her friend were in the company of Jordaan on that fateful Sunday. Jordaan allegedly took Sheldean to an open field near her parents' house and raped her before strangling her and throwing her body into a manhole.
The friend testified in a separate room in the court on Wednesday. She was then taken to the court to identify Jordaan. The child at first turned away sharply but then turned back to point him out.
The court put her reaction on record.
Strauss testified that she interviewed the friend after Sheldean's disappearance. The friend supplied information that made Strauss suspect the friend had also been sexually abused.
According to Strauss the friend said: "I was sure Andrew would take her to his room and to his bed, because I could see he liked watching her vissie (little fish).
Emotionally scarred
According to Strauss's report, the friend referred to female genitalia as "little fish" and "wrong spot".
Strauss testified that according to research on child abuse in South Africa the victims of sexual abuse gradually revealed their experiences.
The process consisted of denial, tentative and active revelation, withdrawal of allegations, and reconfirmation of allegations.
According to Strauss the friend made no revelations when her statement was taken in April last year.
The girl was presently in a tentative revelation phase (partial revelations) as she minimalised the crimes, for example the number of times the sexual abuse allegedly took place.
Strauss testified that the girl had revealed nothing to her own mother.
The child didn't want her mother to read her statement or be in court during her testimony.
According to Strauss the girl did not experience her mother as providing for her emotional or physical needs. "This led to serious emotional problems (with the child)".
The court heard that Jordaan was a friend of Sheldean's friend and her family.
The friend's mother testified that as far as she knew, Jordaan first made contact with Sheldean on that Sunday.
The case continues.
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