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Plett suspect: He could ID me
30/07/2007 20:55 - (SA)
Cape Town - Theunis Olivier, charged with the kidnapping, indecent assault and murder of six-year-old Steven Siebert in Plettenberg Bay on Christmas Eve 2005, has described
in the Cape High Court exactly what he did that day.
He told Judge Essa Moosa: "At my place of residence, I sexually abused him for about 15 to 20 minutes. I (then) proceeded to kill him by strangling him to death to prevent him from later identifying me".
In a statement submitted to the court, Olivier said he was normal when he committed the crime.
"I admit that I acted with the necessary criminal capacity in that I was able to distinguish between right and wrong and able to appreciate the wrongfulness of my action.
"I'm truly remorseful for the crimes that I have committed and respectfully ask for mercy," he said.
His admission contradicts his not guilty plea made to a lower court a year ago, where he had said that he was not of a sane mind when he committed the offence and therefore could not be held responsible for his actions.
However, a psychiatric evaluation revealed that he was fit to stand trial.
Olivier, who initially had kept his head down to avoid photographers, later looked up as he addressed Judge Moosa.
Shortly after his arrest it emerged that Olivier, who used the name Raymond Sinclair, was previously arrested on indecent assault charges, but the charges were dropped.
Smartly dressed in a grey suit, Olivier, who had been in custody since his arrest in 2005, looked in good health.
Judge Moosa postponed the case to Tuesday to give the State and the defence enough time to agree on the way forward.
- SAPA
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