Two men accused of stabbing a teenager to death inside his home will go on trial in the Cape High Court in August.
|||Cape Town - Two men accused of stabbing a 16-year-old boy to death inside his Eerste River home will go on trial in the Western Cape High Court in August.
Donovan Rich, 37, and his stepson, Abdullah Cassiem-Londt, 23, have been charged with murdering Trevor Maritz during the 2011 school holidays. Cassiem-Londt had often slept over at Maritz’s Somerset Heights home in Kleinvlei.
It is the State’s case that the men entered Maritz’s home on July 8, 2011, and stabbed him a number of times. There was no forced entry to the house, and both men’s fingerprints were found.
According to the indictment, the men are accused of acting in common purpose when they allegedly killed Maritz and face a minimum sentence of life imprisonment for murder.
They also face a further 15 years in jail for aggravated robbery.
On the morning of the murder, Maritz’s mother, Thelma, went to work, leaving him asleep at home.
According to the case’s summary of facts: “During the day no one heard or saw Trevor though attempts were made to contact him.
“When his mother returned home Trevor did not respond to knocking on the door. She looked through the windows and observed the state of the house and called the police.” Police found the teenager’s body in his bedroom.
Four DVD players, jewellery, a pink GHD hair-straightener, reading glasses and a backpack were stolen from the house.
Prosecutor Firzana Valley-Omar told the court on Thursday that the matter had been set down for Rich to apply for bail, but that he had decided against it.
He will now remain in custody for the duration of the trial.
Cassiem-Londt, who is out on bail of R500, did not turn up in court on Thursday.
A warrant for his arrest was issued but held over until his next scheduled appearance on June 13.
Thirty-nine witnesses are set to testify in the trial which is due to be held from August 26 to September 19.
But the men will first appear in the high court for a pre-trial hearing next Friday before they plead to the charges.
Outside court, Thelma Maritz said the past two years had been difficult for her.
She had decided to move house, despite mixed emotions.
The house held so many happy memories, but it was also a constant reminder of her son’s brutal death.
Cape Argus