The case has been marred by delays, stretching over two years, as Smit waited for admission to the Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital for a 30-day assessment to determine whether he was fit to stand trial.
Accused murderer and alleged cultist, Daniel Smit, will go on trial after two years for the brutal murder of 13-year-old Jerobejin van Wyk.
The case has been marred by delays, as Smit waited for admission to the Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital where he underwent assessments to determine whether he was fit to stand trial.
National Prosecution Authority spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said the trial will take place at the Western Cape Circuit High Court in Vredendal between October 14 and November 7.
He faces charges of attempted murder by reckless and negligent driving, kidnapping, murder, violating a corpse and defeating the ends of justice, related to the killing of Jerobejin in Klawer on February 2, 2022.
According to the indictment, Smit drove into Jerobejin with his Ford Bantam bakkie. He also "unlawfully and intentionally deprived Jerobejin van Wyk of his freedom of movement through threat or means unknown to the State and thereafter detaining him in the Ford Bantam bakkie at his home in (Second Avenue, Klawer)".
According to the court documents, Smit had premeditated the murder of Jerobejin when he assaulted and stabbed the teenager, and dismembered, burned and disposed of the body in an attempt to hide it.
Jerobejin’s remains, confirmed through DNA testing, were found at Smit's property after the boy was reported missing. During the investigation human remains - an ear, intestines and a kidney - were found in a sewerage pipe on his Klawer property.
According to the State's case, Smit had "mislead the police and told them that the deceased had been at his house and that he gave the deceased food and thereafter the deceased disappeared".
A summary of facts reads: "Jerobejin, a 13 year old juvenile and his friend trespassed on (Smit's) property to pick mangoes. They ran from the premises and Smit pursued them in his bakkie. The two friends scattered and the deceased's friend was eventually caught.
"A witness saw the driver of a white Ford Bantam bakkie pursue the deceased, eventually knocking into the deceased with the vehicle. The injured deceased was placed into the bakkie and driven off."
The State's case further detailed that the day after the incident, after the mother was informed of what happened, she reported Jerobejin missing.
A warrant of arrest was issued and a search was conducted at Smit's home where he was arrested.
Cape Times