Courtney murder trial moved to high court
MURDER and rape accused Mortimer Saunders will commence his pretrial hearing at the Western Cape High Court this morning.
Saunders, father of a 6-yearold girl, is accused of raping and murdering 3-year-old Courtney Pieters who went missing from her Pluto Street home in Salberau, Elsies River on May 4. The accused is a childhood friend of Courtney’s father, Aaron Fourie, and was a tenant in the family home of Pieters and Fourie for three years.
Last month supporters, who attended the last appearance at Goodwood Magistrate’s Court, were elated when they heard Saunders’s case would be moved to the Western Cape High Court.
State prosecutor Adnaan Gelderbloem confirmed the investigation against Saunders had been completed and the matter could then be referred to the High Court.
Saunders will be represented by legal aid in his trial and his trial date is set to commence in February.
The slain toddler’s mother, Juanita Pieters, could not attend the previous court case due to being ill and hospitalised. It was the first time Pieters missed a court date since the investigation commenced.
Saunders, devoid of emotion during previous proceedings, for the first time looked at the gallery and scoffed while cheers erupted at his last appearance. People in the gallery hurled expletives at Saunders as he was led down to the holding cells.
Courtney’s father and Pieters’s partner, Aaron Fourie, said he wanted to “choke” Saunders when he saw him but also expressed relief that the case was making progress.
“I wanted to jump over the bench and just choke him just knowing what he did to my child. Juanita is not doing well. The stress of this case is getting to her,” Fourie previously said.
Courtney’s body was found nine days later, buried in a shallow grave at Bofors Circle, Epping Industria, near her home. Saunders was part of the search team over the nine days and when it became apparent he was a suspect, Saunders allegedly hid at a school but police arrested him the day after her body was found.