Loerie Park panga murder: Sister testifies

Update

GEORGE NEWS - The George Circuit High Court sat in silence as an emotional Chandré le Roux (33) testified about the day her sister, Soneé Witbooi (28), was brutally murdered in front of her at their Loerie Park home on 21 December 2022.

Le Roux told the court there had been ongoing domestic problems in her sister’s marriage to the accused, Rodney Witbooi (34), who allegedly killed his wife with a panga.

“Their marriage wasn’t good. It was a nightmare,” she said as she was testifying on Monday 27 October. The couple had married earlier in 2022.

Graphic evidence of the injuries inflicted on Soneé was given last week by forensic pathologist Dr Christa Hattingh, who confirmed that Soneé had suffered 13 deep chop wounds to her head and face, several causing fractures, one extending into the cranium.

Le Roux testified that she, her fiancé and the sisters’ elderly aunt were all in the house when Witbooi attacked them and killed Soneé. Their aunt was in her bedroom during the attack.

The court heard that the day before the murder, Witbooi and Soneé had argued after drinking a few beers. Le Roux, who was in the kitchen at the time, said she could not hear the argument, but when she went to check on her sister, Soneé was crying and asked her to call the police, motioning with her eyes to a steak knife on the table in front of where Witbooi was sitting.

“I asked Rodney what was going on and told him that whatever he was thinking of doing, he shouldn’t. He got up calmly and walked to the kitchen. I followed him and saw him open the cutlery drawer and take out another steak knife,” Le Roux testified.

Witbooi allegedly chased her with the knife. Le Roux grabbed her sister and they both managed to escape and call the police, but not before Witbooi allegedly tried to stab Le Roux through the security gate. The police, security services and neighbourhood watch members arrived on the scene.

Soneé did not lay any charges after the initial incident, but wanted Witbooi to leave the house.

He allegedly became aggressive with the police when they asked him to leave the premises and was arrested as a result. Drugs were later found in his possession in the holding cells.

The next day, Soneé, Le Roux and her fiancé went to the George Magistrate’s Court to apply for a protection order. Soneé also planned to file for divorce. Afterwards they went Christmas shopping at the Garden Route Mall. Witbooi allegedly kept phoning Soneé, but she ignored his calls.

When they got home, Le Roux’s fiancé took a shower while the sisters were speaking to their mother on the phone in their bedroom. This is when Witbooi allegedly entered the bedroom with a panga, saying he wanted to “sort things out” with his wife.

Le Roux quietly texted her mother, asking her to phone the police. Witbooi allegedly shouted some obscenities before briefly leaving the room, only to return moments later. The fiancé was sitting on the bed with the sisters at that stage.

“Rodney said he wasn’t there to hurt us, he just wanted to talk to his wife,” Le Roux testified.

A short while later, they heard sirens and knocking at the door, but Witbooi allegedly did not allow anyone to open it. As they walked towards the living room so he and Soneé could talk, Le Roux said he suddenly turned in the passage, visibly agitated.

She said both she and her sister were terrified. She begged him to put the panga down. “I told him he could talk to Soneé, but he must please put the panga down,” she said.

That was when Witbooi allegedly swung the panga at Le Roux, striking Soneé instead. “I didn’t realise he hit my sister. I screamed and ran back to the bedroom. My fiancé came out with a stick, which I grabbed and swung at Rodney, but he kept coming at me,” she said.

Le Roux fell to the floor, and instead of attacking her, she claims Witbooi continued swinging the panga at Soneé. Her fiancé tried to fend him off with a pair of nunchucks, and while they were struggling, Le Roux ran to open the front door.

Two security guards were outside, but she didn’t realise Witbooi was behind her. He allegedly struck her on the shoulder with the panga before she managed to escape. She ran back to her sister and tried to stop the bleeding with a towel, but there was too much blood. She attempted to revive her, but it was too late.

Le Roux sustained fractures to her arm and a shoulder wound that required 25 stitches. She told the court that earlier that day, they had seen Witbooi in the yard and alerted the police and neighbourhood watch. She said by the time they had arrived, he was gone, but a cellphone, his cap and wallet were found in the garden.

During cross-examination, it was put to Le Roux that their house was a known ‘drug house’. She denied this.

She did, however, not deny using tik and other drugs from time to time, but said at the time of the incident, she, her fiancé and her sister weren’t under the influence of any substances.

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