Police investigating alleged sex abuse charges against Pretoria advocate Cezanne Visser were accused on Thursday of trying to trick her into confessing and becoming a state witness.
Visser’s advocate, Gerhard Botha, charged investigating officer Captain Carel Cornelius with irregular conduct for visiting Visser in jail shortly after her arrest in December 2002.
Cornelius went to the prison knowing that Visser had declined to make any statements to the police, Botha said during cross-examination in the Pretoria High Court.
”You acted in an irregular manner by trying to abuse her position in jail. She was confused and you asked her trick questions.”
Cornelius denied this, saying he went to interview Visser at her mother’s request.
He also denied an accusation by Botha that he had put words into Visser’s mouth when he said she had agreed to testify against her lover and co-accused Dirk Prinsloo.
According to Botha, Visser denied Cornelius’ testimony that she would have accused Prinsloo of manipulating her into committing crimes, or that she was aware pictures had been taken of one of the alleged child victims.
She never considered testifying against Prinsloo, Botha said. Cornelius said his testimony was corroborated by documents before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, in which Visser said she would probably become a state witness.
These documents, filed during the couple’s bail hearing, also made mention of the fact that Prinsloo was aware of her intentions.
Visser, dubbed ”Advocate Barbie” for an apparent likeness to the blonde, busty, plastic doll, faces 15 charges of sexual violations of women and girls, and Prinsloo 16.
The charge sheet lists two counts of rape, four of indecent assault, three of enticing a minor to commit indecent acts, one each of fraud, sexual exploitation of a minor and possessing child pornography, two of manufacturing such material, and one of possessing dagga.
Four of their alleged victims were minors. Prinsloo faces an additional charge of assaulting one of the complainants. The couple are out on bail of R4 000 each.
In the morning, the court heard that one of their alleged child rape victims had previously tried to blackmail another man against whom she had laid a charge.
Cornelius was asked whether he was aware that the girl, then 14, had previously laid a charge against another man. She apparently later admitted having done so to try and extricate money from the man.
Cornelius said he had heard such rumours but had no factual knowledge of the claim.
The girl has accused Prinsloo and Visser of drugging her in July 2002, indecently assaulting and raping her, and taking pictures of the incident.
Cornelius was also questioned about claims that the girl was involved in child prostitution at the time, misused drugs and had behavioural problems.
The state’s second witness is expected to take the stand later on Thursday. – Sapa