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Farmer last to see girl alive
16/07/2007 09:31 - (SA)
Ema Buffel and Jan Gerber, Die Burger
Cape Town - A farmer, 36, from Leeu-Gamka and his wife, 39, have been arrested in connection with the murder of their employee's 13-year-old daughter after her badly decomposed body was found in an empty water tank on their farm.
Meanwhile, the police also confirmed that the farmer was facing a sex charge. Police didn't want to provide details about this at the time of going to press.
The body of Elizabeth Martiens was found in an empty water tank on a farm outside Leeu-Gamka on Friday. She went missing on April 14 while on her way from her father's house in Leeu-Gamka to her mother's house in Merweville.
Makhaya Mani, spokesperson for Leonard Ramatlakane, minister of community safety, said Elizabeth's father on that day requested his employer to drop off his daughter at her mother's house. She never arrived. Nearly three months later, her badly decomposed body was found in a water tank.
Child may have raped
Mani confirmed that the suspects would appear in court in Prince Albert on Monday. He said forensic specialists were investigating whether the child had been raped.
Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe, a police spokesperson, said the investigation indicated that the woman also had to be arrested. He didn't want to provide more details. He confirmed that the man faced a sex charge.
Jackie Kruger reported that Truia Bostander, the co-ordinator for the Poor People's Movement in Merweville, who worked to end violence against women and children, said women from the community held prayer sessions at the house of Elizabeth's mother, Johanna Mouers.
According to Bostaander, Elizabeth's mother has been quiet since receiving news about her daughter's death.
Sameul Martiens, Elizabeth's father, said she had stayed with him for more than a week during the school holidays. Circumstances forced him to ask his employer to take Elizabeth back to her mother.
Martiens looked downcast while talking about the situation prior to his child's disappearance.
"He (the farmer) said it was not necessary for me to go along. I had to take care of the animals. I trusted him. It's my child. On Monday (April 16) the police turned up. I asked him (the farmer) what he had done with my child. He said he had dropped her off at the corner of the school."
Mouers in turn sadly told how she had reported her child as missing at the Merweville police station. "She was my eldest daughter. I am still waiting for her. I sat and watched, and now I heard that she is dead."
Elizabeth's sister, Ronel, 10, shyly nodded her head when asked whether she missed her sister.
Cobus Dowry, Western Cape minister of agriculture, said his department was aware of the fate of children on many farms. He expressed his disgust about this incident.
"Two teenaged girls (13 and 15) were raped in this area in June. Their grandmother, whose name is known to Die Burger, said they collected firewood on a farm during the day.
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