Johannes de Jager may have used a bolt cutter and tree trimmer to dismember the body of Charmaine Mare, a court heard.
|||Cape Town - Johannes de Jager may have used a bolt cutter and tree trimmer to dismember the body of 16-year-old Charmaine Mare, the Western Cape High Court has heard.
State advocate Romay van Rooyen called forensic pathologist, Dr Celeste de Vaal, to testify about the autopsy she conducted on the Mpumalanga teen four days after she was murdered.
De Jager, 47, a mechanic from Ruyterwacht, is on trial for Charmaine’s murder on January 11 and the rape and murder of sex worker, Hiltina Alexander, 18, on May 18, 2008. In his plea explanation, he said he had panicked when Charmaine “accidentally” slipped and died.
He hid her body in a drain, but when he came to take her out she was stiff. He then dismembered her and burnt her torso before dumping it.
On Thursday, Van Rooyen asked De Vaal whether a bolt cutter, tree trimmer and bush saw - found at the murder scene in Kraaifontein - may have been used to sever Charmaine’s limbs.
“The bones were exposed and all bony surfaces were open and clean cut. There was no irregularities at the edges. A bolt cutter and tree trimmer could cause a clean cut.”
Charmaine’s right forearm was cut off below her elbow joint and her left forearm at the elbow. Her lower legs were cut off below the knee.
Van Rooyen asked De Vaal how long it would take to sever the limbs.
“In my opinion, four limbs might take some time but it depends on the experience with these instruments.”
De Vaal said she could not exclude De Jager’s version but noted that Charmaine’s skull was not fractured and that there was no brain haemorrhage.
De Vaal, however, said she could not say whether Charmaine fell and sustained soft tissue bruises, because most of her head had been charred.
Police found Charmaine’s scorched torso on January 14. Her arms were found in the garage of the Elterman Street home where she had stayed with her friend, Kristen White. Kristen’s mother, Carol, and De Jager had been in a live-in relationship.
De Jager is due back in court on December 11.
jade.otto@inl.co.za
Cape Argus