Lawyer, mother on trial: Teen girl identifies locations of sexual abuse

A 13-year-old girl has identified the guesthouses where she had sex, allegedly with a Heidelberg lawyer and his ‘clients’, a court heard yesterday.

Carel Schoeman and his co-accused, the girl’s mother, appeared in a High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, according to the Boksburg Advertiser.

Schoeman, the lawyer, faces 26 charges, and the mother faces 72. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges during a previous court appearance.

The charges include rape, sexual abuse of a minor, child trafficking, and pointing a firearm. The alleged crimes took place between mid-2022 and early 2023 across various areas in Gauteng, the Free State, and KZN, including Boksburg, Heidelberg, Brakpan, Springs, Villiers, Amanzimtoti, and Ramsgate.

In his plea explanation, Schoeman claimed he believed the girl was 19 years old at the time of the alleged offences. During court proceedings yesterday, Warrant Officer Albertus Pelser, who assisted with the investigation, testified that the girl showed the police the locations where she had sexual intercourse, allegedly with Schoeman and several other ‘clients’.

Pelser said the girl pointed out a resort in Villiers, Free State, and guesthouses in Heidelberg, Brakpan, and Boksburg North.

The mother’s legal representative, Advocate Harold Davids, asked Pelser under cross-examination whether the girl ever used the term ‘rape’ or ‘sexual exploitation’.

Pelser explained that the girl simply told him where the alleged incidents with Schoeman or other men took place.

Boksburg senior prosecutor Henk Strydom also testified.

Strydom said he had a WhatsApp exchange with Schoeman but never met him professionally or personally.

While sharing a printout of the conversation, Strydom highlighted that the document Schoeman sent was a voice note, which contradicts an exported message thread Schoeman submitted to the court.

Strydom added he received no report from Schoeman and further testified that he did not delete a message from Schoeman but a message that he wrote to Schoeman.

He explained that this message contained his email address.

Strydom told the court that he deleted the message because he felt uncomfortable, as Schoeman had already given different versions of events.

The trial continues.

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