The man accused of killing seven-year-old Sheldean Human in Pretoria last year started crying when telling police how he strangled the child and dumped her body.
Director Piet Byleveld and investigating officer Michael van Aardt both testified on Thursday that Andrew Jordaan (25) was emotional when he confessed the murder to them.
Pretoria High Court Acting Judge Chris Eksteen earlier ruled that Jordaan’s statement and pointing-out of the crime scene to police was admissible as evidence against him.
This was after Jordaan, a newspaper distributor, testified that he had only confessed the murder to his ”hero”, Byleveld, because Van Aardt and another policeman had tortured him and that he feared more of the same if he did not cooperate.
Prosecutor Andre Fourie accused Jordaan of sucking the story out of his thumb and coming up with the unlikely torture version with the help of fellow prisoners.
Byleveld told the court the little girl’s body would never have been found in a remote part of the veld behind the fresh-produce market in Pretoria West if Jordaan had not cooperated.
The decomposed body of the child was found with the help of dogs, 40m from the manhole Jordaan pointed out to police earlier that day.
The exact cause of her death could not be determined.
Van Aardt testified that Jordaan had directed him to the crime scene of his own free will.
When they reached a manhole — that could not be seen from the dirt road leading into the veld — Jordaan started crying. He said he had thrown her into the hole after strangling and indecently assaulting her.
A police photo of Jordaan pointing out the scene shows him with his face screwed up and apparently crying.
Jordaan thereafter also went to show Van Aardt the park where he said he had played with Sheldean before taking her home.
He told police the little girl had playfully pushed his hat off his head and asked if she could go home with him.
”I walked with her into the veld. I thought I wanted to touch her. I touched her and she kicked me between the legs.
”I strangled her with my hands. It took rather a long time. I felt the urge, but I did not do anything. Then I threw her into the manhole and walked away.
”A policeman stopped me and said I smoked dagga. He slapped me and let me go,” he told Van Aardt.
Eksteen postponed the trial to May 26. – Sapa