KEY POINTS
- The court has postponed the sentencing of Cytheria Rex’s killers once again.
- The five convicted men will return to court in March.
- The victim’s family and justice groups are calling for no further delays.
The court has delayed the long-awaited sentencing of the five men convicted of raping and murdering 17-year-old Cytheria Rex.
The case, which experienced more than 115 postponements since her death in 2009, aimed to conclude at the Strand Regional Court on Friday.
However, the State informed the court that essential documents, including reports from a probation officer and a social worker, were still outstanding.
The convicted men—Virgil Sass, Oswill Grootboom, Imeraan Hendricks, Lee Cloete, and Rhonwan Rhode—were told that their case would now be transferred back to the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court. The court will schedule their next appearance for March 12.
Cytheria’s mother Jacqueline has suffered extensively because of the ongoing delays.
When she was previously told sentencing would take place on February 21—the anniversary of her daughter’s murder—she found comfort in the timing. “God plans, He decides,” she said.
“On the day she died, He knew they would be imprisoned. Our God is a God of justice and righteousness.”
A brutal crime that shook a community
Cytheria Rex was murdered on February 21, 2009, in Kraaifontein, Cape Town. Authorities found her dead body hidden inside a wheelie bin, the following morning, in an open field.
The horrific crime sent shockwaves through the community, sparking a years-long legal battle that has dragged on for nearly 16 years.
According to IOL, in November 2024, the court convicted five men of her rape and murder.
Initially, seven individuals were implicated in the case, with all of them reportedly at the crime scene. However, two of the original accused, Warren Robertson and Keenan Lewis, have since died.
The convictions were made possible by vital DNA evidence and witness testimony. The witness recounted how the suspects dragged Cytheria’s body down the passage of a house where they had been partying before placing her inside the wheelie bin.
Calls for justice as delays continue
Despite the convictions, the sentencing delays have frustrated both the victim’s family and justice advocates. The justice system faces criticism from society for not delivering justice to Cytheria because the case has antedated for too long.
National advocacy groups have urged the authorities to ensure there are no further delays. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” said a representative from a local anti-crime organization. “This family has waited far too long for closure.”
For Jacqueline, the mother of the victim, the day of sentencing will mark the end of a painful chapter.
“We cried our tears, but now it is their turn,” she said. “They will face the consequences of their actions, and we will finally have peace.”
As the case returns to the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court, the family hopes justice will soon be served. They expect the convicted men to finally receive their long-overdue punishment.
