A man who allegedly killed Graham Flax, 65, in his Sea Point flat intends pleading guilty to the charges levelled against him.
|||Cape Town - A Delft man who allegedly killed 65-year-old Graham Flax in his Sea Point flat intends pleading guilty to the charges levelled against him.
This emerged in court on Wednesday when Jerome Benjamin, a 29-year-old cross-dresser who also goes by the name Jade September, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.
Benjamin appeared in court with dyed blonde hair, a short floral skirt, denim waistcoat and wedge heels.
Flax was found dead inside his home at the Costa Bravo Flats in Beach Road on March 3. He had been hit on the back of the head with a blunt object and his face was blue. His flatmate found his body bound and covered with a duvet. Flax was robbed of his cellphone and laptop and his car was stolen.
Police reportedly said that Flax had met Benjamin over the internet and had invited him to his home.
The court heard on Wednesday that Benjamin had been charged with murder, robbery, housebreaking and theft of a motor vehicle.
Prosecutor Anneka Snyman said the case was on the court roll so that an identity parade could be held but it had not yet been completed.
But after speaking to the investigating officer, Snyman said there would be no need for an identity parade because Benjamin wanted to come clean. This also meant there was no need for him to be held at Sea Point police station.
“I spoke to the investigating officer and it seems the accused wishes to plead guilty,” Snyman said.
Benjamin’s lawyer, Chantal Gillian, confirmed that her client wanted to plead guilty. “That’s my instruction,” Gillian said.
According to the charge sheet, Benjamin’s address was “unknown to the State”. He had been living with friends in Delft for about five years before the incident but when police visited the house, his friends said he had taken his possessions and had said he was moving to Joburg.
Snyman said on Wednesday that Benjamin had a number of pending cases for theft and fraud, and he had a previous conviction for the illegal possession of drugs.
Gillian said that Benjamin did not want to apply for bail and would remain in custody until the case was finalised. Benjamin is due back in court on April 19 for the outcome of the post mortem report.
jade.otto@inl.co.za
Cape Argus