Dina Rodrigues’s advocate, Johan Van der Berg, called on Wednesday for a fair and balanced sentence for her for the premeditated murder of baby Jordan-Leigh Norton.
He delivered his closing argument in the Cape High Court concerning an appropriate sentence for his 26-year-old client.
Rodrigues faces sentence for murder only, while her four co-accused — men she hired to murder the baby — face sentence for both murder and aggravated robbery.
Van der Berg told Judge Basheer Waglay and two assessors that the fact that Rodrigues was a first offender was crucial to sentencing. Together with other factors this constituted substantial and compelling circumstances that justified a sentence less severe than life imprisonment.
Van der Berg reminded the court of the testimony of Rodrigues’s lover at the time of the killing — Neil Wilson — that she was a caring and decent person and had been open and trustworthy in their relationship.
Rodrigues’s motive for the murder was to spare Wilson, whom she planned to marry, the financial burden of maintenance payments for the baby.
Van der Berg said Rodrigues was a ”laat lammetjie [youngster] living with her parents at the time of the murder in June 2005”.
He said she had worked in a family business and in these circumstances it was not unreasonable to infer immaturity of judgement.
Her youth — 24 at the time of the murder — and good character were mitigating factors.
Van der Berg said: ”We are dealing with an emotional conflict situation, which is a mitigating factor that has to be included in the melting pot on the question of sentence.”
The hearing continues. — Sapa