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Widow made food for her killer
15/04/2008 22:54 - (SA)
Pretoria - A 92-year-old widow was murdered after inviting her killer into her home and preparing a meal for him, the High Court heard on Tuesday.
Acting Judge Chris Eksteen found 23-year-old Frederick Hendry Koen guilty on charges of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances after Koen admitted guilt.
In a statement handed to the court Koen expressed "deep remorse" about his "unlawful behaviour".
He admitted that he murdered and robbed Elizabeth Catharina Ströh at her home in Benoni in November 2006.
He said he decided to plead guilty after discussing the matter with his mother.
Koen's mother, stepfather and other family members were in court to support him.
Koen, casually dressed in jeans and a wrinkled striped shirt with an eagle on the back, confirmed his plea in a firm voice.
Smoked dagga with friend
He said in a statement he had visited his mother and stepfather on the day before the murder to ask for their help so that he could go to a rehabilitation centre.
The request was unsuccessful and he decided to spend the night with them.
They had dropped him off at a friend's home the next day, where he and his friend bought and smoked dagga. He also bought cocaine for later use.
On his way home, Koen decided to drop in at the house of Ströh who knew him.
"She invited me in. We sat in the dining room. I excused myself and went to the toilet and sniffed two lines of cocaine. I went out and saw her in the kitchen," he said.
"I approached her from behind, grabbed her around the neck and strangled her. She slipped out of my hands and fell to the floor. She was motionless."
He said he took her car keys, her cellphone and television set and drove off in her car.
The trial will continue on Thursday when the court will hear evidence in mitigation.
- SAPA
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