Correctional supervision for accused

The correctional services officer who testified in the pre-sentencing proceedings of model agency boss Dawie de Villiers said he felt he was a suitable candidate for correctional supervision because he had a fixed address.

Correctional services officer Nape Maphitsa told the High Court in Johannesburg he was asked by the defence to testify.

“I was approached by the defence advocate Marius together with the social worker Ms Wolmerans,” he replied when asked by state prosecutor Arveena Persad who had approached him to appear in court.

The founder of Modelling South Africa (Pty) was found guilty of rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming, fraud, exposure of pornography to children and access to child pornography in February 2017.

The previous address De Villiers provided led them to a studio, which was not easily accessible.

Maphitsa said he reached the conclusion that De Villiers was a suitable candidate for correctional supervision because he had a fixed address and the other factors were in the hands of the court.

“He said he is self employed, running a modeling agency, at the moment I can’t tell you where it is,” Maphitsa said.

Maphitsa said if correctional supervision was imposed, all De Villiers’ details would have to be verified in order for him to be monitored. – ANA