'My four days with Konings'
2004-12-02 14:29
Cape Town - A statement handed to the Cape High Court on Thursday tells of Dutch student Marleen Konings' chance meeting with her alleged killer, Ferdinand Mostert, at a residential hotel in Swellendam.
The statement was one of many that were handed to the court by investigating officer Captain Piet Viljoen, while he testified at the Mostert trial.
In the statement, Mostert tells how he was sitting in the garden at the Parkhouse Lodge in Swellendam when he was joined by Konings on December 24 last year.
Mostert said in the statement: "I was sitting reading in the garden when she came and sat with me. We talked and found out that we were both into computers.
"I told her about my computer programs, and I introduced myself to her as Rob Cowley from Botswana. That night we made supper and (had) a bottle of wine.
"On Christmas Day we chatted the whole day and Marleen found out that I was on my way to Cape Town. She said she was travelling alone and asked if I would travel with her.
"The idea was to travel slowly to Cape Town. That night we had a 20-year-old bottle of wine, which Marleen had bought.
"That night Marleen slept in the same dormitory as me, but I want to state that there was never any sexual relationship between us.
It rained
"The next morning we got up and started driving. We were going to watch a rugby tournament but it rained and the rugby was cancelled."
Mostert said they both became ill and stopped at Riversdale where a doctor treated them for food poisoning.
They decided to remain at the Swellendam lodge, Lulu's Place, as they still felt ill.
Mostert said he woke up that night and noticed that Marleen was awake and could not sleep.
He said he secretly put a sleeping tablet in her water bottle to help her sleep, but did not know she had two bottles of water at that stage.
He said the next day (December 27) they went sightseeing together and they both drank from the spiked water bottle, and both became ill again.
Mostert said they both again received treatment and slept again at Lulu's Place.
He said they left Swellendam on December 29 for Cape Town, and "what happened further on that day you know about".
This was apparently a reference to Konings death by gunshot.
Mostert adds: "I just want to state that the revolver was cocked, I don't know why, and the trigger was very light."
Mostert faces 23 charges, including two murders and two aggravated robberies.
The hearing continues.
- SAPA