ConCourt denies Barbie leave to appeal
2011-02-11 12:05
Johannesburg - The Constitutional Court has denied Cézanne Visser, also known as "Advocate Barbie", leave to appeal her seven-year prison sentence for sexual offences towards children and women, her lawyer said on Friday.
Attorney Ren Oosthuizen confirmed that the Constitutional Court judges dismissed the matter on Thursday.
"We didn't appear in court, the judges made a finding that there is no chance of success, the matter was dismissed," he said.
"She's [Visser] is not happy about this... there are not a lot of options left."
Sexual abuse
Visser was convicted on 11 counts in 2009 in the absence of her former boyfriend and co-accused Dirk Prinsloo, who is in jail in Belarus. She was sentenced in February. Visser, who was an advocate, was found guilty of sexually abusing teenage girls she had befriended at a children's home.
Acting Judge in the North Gauteng High Court, Chris Eksteen, found her guilty on 11 charges, which included two of indecently assaulting an 11-year-old and 14-year-old girl and soliciting a 13-year-old girl to commit indecent acts.
She was also sentenced on a charge of defrauding a children's home in order to get them to allow children to spend weekends with her and Prinsloo.
The judge also linked Visser to the indecent assault of a 20-year-old woman, indecently assaulting two other younger women and the possession and manufacturing of child pornography.
In May last year the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed an application to appeal the matter.
Visser was nicknamed "Advocate Barbie" by the media because of her previous image of dyed blonde hair and surgically enhanced breasts. At the time of her sentencing her image had changed completely and proceedings had to be delayed while she was sedated.
- SAPA
