Barbie behind bars soon
2010-05-13 20:41
Bloemfontein - Convicted child molester Cézanne Visser, also known as advocate Barbie, was expected to spend a last weekend at home before reporting to authorities on Monday to start her seven-year jail term.
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Thursday dismissed Visser's application for leave to appeal her conviction in the High Court in Pretoria.
Visser was found guilty and sentenced for 11 sex-related charges, including indecently assaulting two teenage girls and soliciting a teenager to commit indecent acts; indecently assaulting two women and benefiting from the indecent assault of a third; defrauding a children's home and possession and manufacturing of child pornography.
Visser's lawyer Johan Engelbrecht said he had spoken to Visser and they were disappointed by the appeal court's decision.
High Court Judge Chris Eksteen refused Visser leave to appeal his finding on the merits of the case.
He granted her bail of R10 000 pending the outcome of her application to the SCA.
The High Court found Visser had willingly associated herself with and actively participated in the depraved sexual activities at her former lover and co-accused Dirk Prinsloo's house.
The court held she had taken the initiative to approach children's homes to get young girls to sexually abuse them.
Her actions were consistently aimed at the sexual abuse of children and women solely for the gratification of her and Prinsloo's sexual needs, the judge said at the time.
Prinsloo, who disappeared while on a business trip to Russia several years ago, has in the meantime been arrested in Belarus for allegedly attempting to rob a bank.
Appeal Court Judges Mohamed Navsa and Belinda van Heerden presided over the SCA application.
Visser had 48 hours to report to the High Court in Pretoria from the moment she was informed of the SCA's decision on Thursday.
- SAPA
