Dead toddler’s dad did not answer questions truthfully

ANGEL Stols, the father of toddler Lache Stols who was found battered and murdered, will have to return to the Western Cape High Court to explain why he shouldn’t be held accountable for what happened to his child.

His ex-girlfriend Anthea Kleynhans was found guilty of the 3-year-old’s murder and abuse. Kleynhans, who was out on warning, was remanded in custody.

Yesterday, presiding Judge Nolwazi Boqwana said Stols failed to answer the court’s questions truthfully. While there may have been incriminating evidence against him in exchange for his immunity, he turned State’s witness.

In her judgment, she said he appeared to have been protecting himself.

“He prevented the deceased’s maternal family from seeing her. He saw an imprint on her thigh. For the four months that the deceased lived with him, he bathed her once, but yet did not see any injuries.

“On whether he inflicted any injuries, it is unclear,” she said.

Stols was called in twice by an Eerste River doctor to discuss injuries that Lache had sustained from previous beatings. He failed to consult with the doctor.

Meanwhile, as Judge Boqwana read her judgment, there were at least two interruptions by defence advocate Inge Levendall relating to Kleynhans’s emotional and physical state during the proceedings.

Kleynhans was overwhelmed with emotions and kept sobbing as the judge made reference to Lache’s post-mortem reports, especially the toddler’s injuries.

Judge Boqwana said the State had proved that Kleynhans intended to kill in the form of dolus eventualis, which means she was able to foresee a possibility of death due to her actions.

She said the accused’s defence of being an unwilling caregiver was rejected.

Judge Boqwana said she was concerned that a number of people had seen the signs of abuse, especially those close to Stols and Kleynhans, but did not question the two. She questioned the accused’s recollection of events that took place that day.

Kleynhans remembers drinking that morning and beating the toddler because she had soiled herself.

She recalls getting an insolent response from the deceased and beating her, but is uncertain of how three fatal blows to Lache’s head were sustained.

She also recalls being sober after the beating.

Sentencing proceedings will be held on December 6.