Killer ‘knew elderly victim was kind’
2011-04-02 10:03
Pretoria - The man who hit and kicked an elderly woman into a coma before raping her knew his victim as a kind person who gave people food when they were hungry.
This emerged in the evidence of Collern Selby Monareng, 37, of Tembisa on Friday when he testified in the North Gauteng High Court in mitigation of sentence.
Judge Vivian Tlhapi on Thursday convicted Monareng on charges of murdering, raping and robbing the elderly Ines Christina Maree at her house in Lyttelton in November 2007.
Maree, who lived alone, was viciously attacked in the early morning hours in November 2007.
She was still alive, but in a coma when her son brought her groceries later that day.
Drinking session
He rushed her to hospital, but she died of head injuries and resultant pneumonia two weeks later.
Monareng admitted that he had gone to Maree's home after a drinking session at a nearby tavern.
He said he had punched and kicked Maree when she told him she had no money and when she lost strength, undressed and raped her before searching the house for valuables.
He left with only a bottle of champagne, a clothes iron and a kettle.
Monareng on Friday revealed that he knew Maree, 83, had lived alone.
He said he and others used to stand at the stop street at her house looking for jobs.
He used to see her when she left her house and she used to greet them when she went past.
Monareng said his victim was a "kind person and an older person" who would give the others food when they asked.
Reason for crime
Monareng said he "really regretted his actions".
Asked why, he kept quiet for a long time, scratched his head and mumbled: "the devil got into me".
"I am very remorseful. I would like to ask the family forgiveness for the hurt. I'd also like to ask forgiveness from the community and from this court.
"I also ask the court to be merciful when it hands out a sentence to me," Monareng said before bursting into tears.
He asked the court not to send him to jail for longer than 20 years, because he wanted to "go out and live a truthful life".
Monareng could not explain why he had attacked a woman who was old enough to be his mother.
He said he had broken in because he wanted money, but could not explain why he had not left when Maree told him she did not have any.
He claimed he never intended to commit murder and rape and blamed his use of alcohol for his gruesome deeds.
Judge Tlhapi postponed the trial to May 4.
- SAPA
