Mom: I also died that day
2007-08-07 09:11
Cape Town - The emotional mother of the murdered Steven Siebert burst into tears on Monday after testifying she had also "died" after her son had been sexually abused and murdered by a "psychopathic" paedophile.
Elaine Siebert's husband Thomas had to hold her closely when she burst into tears after testifying in aggravation of sentence in the high court.
Theunis Christiaan Olivier, who was earlier found guilty by Judge Essa Moosa on charges of abduction, indecent assault and murder of Steven in Plettenberg Bay in December 2005, held his head in his hands and tightly closed his eyes while she was testifying.
Elaine Siebert, who attended the court proceedings for the first time on Monday, glared at Olivier before telling how the gruesome murder had destroyed her family.
A danger to children
Sentencing was postponed to Tuesday for closing statements.
She elected "for emotional reasons" to read to the court from a prepared document, in which her feelings about the murder of her eldest son were described.
"As a family we will never be the same again. When Stevie got lost and was murdered, I also died."
She said she was on medication and receiving counselling.
"I recognise him (Olivier) from the beach (on that day). He greeted us, but it was Stevie's nature not to greet back. He knew not to talk to strangers.
"I feel I had forced him to greet back and to be friendly towards the man."
She said their younger son, Christopher, "cannot understand why his brother, his 'butterfly and angel' is dead". Stevie's friends who had lost their childlike innocence, were also receiving counselling.
"There are times when I think long and hard about the accused who was also abused as a child, but he chose to do the same to other children.
"I often pray that he had rather left Stevie as a molested child rather than a dead one.
"I hope he gets a life sentence without parole, as he is a deadly danger to all children. There should be no relief for child murderers in this or another lifetime."
She told Moosa: "We had two beautiful and inseparable sons. I cannot describe how I feel about Olivier being the last person Stevie saw while he was being murdered."
"I will never see him as a teenager. Our other son will never have a brother or the privilege of happy and normal parents."
"He could have tied him up and left him there. He could have got away, but now he is standing here because he decided to kill him for his own pleasure."