Bredasdorp residents have given police an ultimatum, demanding that “all those responsible for the senseless killing be brought to book”.
|||Cape Town - Bredasdorp residents have given police an ultimatum, demanding that “all those responsible for the senseless killing of Anene (Booysen) be brought to book”.
Booysen, 17, was raped, disembowelled and left for dead. She died from her injuries in Tygerberg Hospital on February 2.
The events leading to Anene’s death remain a hot topic and subject of dispute in the town; some suggest only one person attacked her, while others support the initial reports that she was gang-raped.
The exact details of the attack remain unknown.
Residents are also angry at the lack of developments following the recent release of a suspect, Jonathan Davids, better known as “Zwai”, whom Booysen allegedly identified on her deathbed.
David’s co-accused, Johannes Kana is in custody.
On Sunday residents took to the streets under the banner of the Cape Agulhas Churches Forum, handing over a memorandum in which they gave police 21 days to replace the Hermanus investigators with local detectives.
“It is our belief that the local police have officers available that are more familiar with the local community and the culture. We trust our own, and people are hesitant to speak to the new investigators,” forum spokesman Pastor Sam van Staden said.
“We are standing up because we are concerned that the community is not giving thorough information because the new investigators are not known or trusted by the community,” he said, adding that the case had taken a severe toll on the community.
Davids’s uncle, Nico September, said this nephew was finding it difficult to show his face in public.
“There’s a lot of support, but there are also those who still give him the evil eye. Jonathan started his old job again, but even at work there are those, mostly women, who are still treating him suspiciously,” he said.
Van Staden said the community wanted justice. They did not want a situation where one man should take the fall “to save the nation any further embarrassment”.
Bredasdorp station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Marie Louw said the case was being investigated by the Family Child and Sexual Offences unit in Hermanus, and the provincial team.
She was aware the community wanted local detectives to take charge.
Louw said after Davids had been released police had held a community meeting to explain the situation.
“Kana is the only suspect standing trial and the police are still investigating the possibility of linking other suspects to the crime,” she said.
Kana will be back in the Bredasdorp Magistrate’s Court on July 9. Saturday Argus