*This article contains graphic details that may upset sensitive readers.
A Cape Town man is set to go on trial for murder after strangling his seven-year-old daughter and drowning her in a wheelie bin, as well as bashing her mother’s head with a fire extinguisher, and then stabbing her to death.
Ryan Smith and Altecia Kortje were in an abusive relationship and shared two children together, as per the State’s substantial summary of facts.
Smith lived on the premises of the student residence in Belhar where he held the occupation of caretaker while Kortje, along with her children, lived with her parents in Delft, News24 reports.
According to the court papers, Smith travelled to Delft to fetch the children on June 5 last year but Kortjie was unhappy with the arrangements and made it known that she wanted to end the relationship with Smith. She then went to Belhar police station and was advised to obtain a protection order.
After receiving the application forms, she travelled to Smith’s residence by means of an e-hailing taxi which he requested for her, and arrived shortly after 4pm to collect her children, as per IOL.
The court papers revealed that she dressed her children and began packing their bags, but Smith allegedly took Raynecia to one of the rooms and began to strangle her and then drowned her in a wheelie bin filled with water.
“Ms Kortje came searching for her daughter. When she entered the room where her daughter had been murdered, the accused beat her about the head with a fire extinguisher. He choked her and continued to beat her with the fire extinguisher. He then used a knife to stab her repeatedly,” the court papers showed.
When he was questioned about Kortjie’s whereabouts, Smith allegedly stated that she had left with the children after the pair entered into an argument, and Kortje’s father filed a missing person’s report.
The court papers went on to state that: “On Friday, 12 June 2020, the accused gave the keys to the murder scene to a member of his family. The bodies were discovered and the accused was arrested.”
Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Eric Ntabazalila said he was awaiting information of the next court date, IOL adds.
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Picture: Supplied