Update: 4 November, 4:30pm:
Daniel Smit (56) has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Jerobejin van Wyk (13), with the Western Cape High Court handing down the sentencing earlier this morning.
Smit’s sentences include 15 years for attempted murder, 10 years for kidnapping, five years for violating a corpse, and three years for defeating the ends of justice.
He will serve these sentences concurrently.
Daniel Smit (56), who was accused of the murder of Klawer teen Jerobejin van Wyk (13) in February 2022, has been found guilty by the Western Cape High Court on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, premeditated murder, violating a corpse, and defeating the ends of justice, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Smit had pleaded guilty to all five charges.
Also read: Hufke, teen charged with murder of Stellenbosch student, abandons bail
Van Wyk was murdered after he and a friend were accused of stealing fruit from Smit’s property, which resulted in Smit chasing after Van Wyk in his bakkie.
Van Wyk was reported missing in January 2022 and on 4 February 2022, human remains were discovered in Smit’s sewage pipes after his home was searched for the teen. The remains were reported to have been an ear, intestines and a kidney.
Smit was subsequently arrested and charged.
He appeared in the Klawer Magistrate’s Court in 2022, while angry residents protested outside the court. The case was then postponed to April 2022.
News24 reports that Smit’s trial has experienced multiple delays.
In April 2022, psychologist CWA van Zyl presented findings revealing that Smit had been involved in Chinese occult practices since age 13 and had committed a serious assault before turning 15.
Van Zyl described Smit as a socially isolated, mistrustful individual who found a sense of belonging in these rituals, which he used to justify his anger and vengeful behaviour.
In 2023, Smit underwent a 30-day mental evaluation at the Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital after waiting for an entire year for a bed to be secured at the hospital.
In a report that was compiled by Valkenberg and which was handed over to the court last week, Smit was declared to be fit to stand trial and didn’t indicate any signs of ‘psychosis or mood disorder’.
Also read:
Boland Serial Killer sentenced to centuries in jail for murdering moms
Picture: Roger Sedres / Gallo Images
