Cape Town - Murder and robbery accused, Cassidy Hartzenberg will go on trial for the alleged premeditated murder of his aunt, slain magistrate Romay van Rooyen, after his case was transferred to the high court this week.
Hartzenberg, 19, appeared briefly at the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning where his case was transferred for pre-trial at the Western Cape High Court, to make his appearance on March 17.
Hartzenberg, from Mitchells Plain, is accused of murdering Van Rooyen by strangling her at her Marina Da Gama home on September 9 last year after she returned home from Vredendal for a weekend.
According to court documents, Hartzenberg – who was a pallbearer at Van Rooyen’s funeral – allegedly accosted his aunt after he had borrowed money.
“On the day in question, the accused borrowed money and hired a witness to take him to the deceased’s house.
He was dropped near the deceased’s house and was witnessed walking in the direction of her house.
Evidence suggests there was an altercation between the accused and the deceased.
“(Van Rooyen’s) vehicle was seen leaving her residential area in the early hours of September 9 and was later tracked to Westgate Mall.
The vehicle was discovered abandoned in Mitchells Plain, two days later. The cause of death was recorded as being consistent with asphyxia (unnatural),” the indictment read.
Van Rooyen worked as a magistrate in Vredenburg during the week but spent her weekends and holidays at her Marina Da Gama home.
The family suspected something was amiss when she did not answer her cellphone when they tried to contact her as arrangements were made to pick up another relative on the Saturday.
Her brother, Taswell van Rooyen, having a spare key to her home, hastily made his way to his sister’s home where he found her “flat on her back” with her cellphone beside her body.
Hartzenberg was nabbed at his home in Mitchells Plain in a multi-disciplinary operation comprising the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State, National Priority Violent Crime Investigation, Digital Forensic Investigation and Priority Crime Management Centre on September 27.
Last year, Hartzenberg abandoned his bail application in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court and has been in custody since his arrest.
Cape Times