The murder trial of Kobus and Louisa Koekemoer starts on Monday in the North Gauteng High Court.
They are accused of murdering their 3-year-old daughter, Poppie van der Merwe.
This follows the death of the girl in Mamogaleskraal outside Brits last year October after she was allegedly brutally assaulted and sustained serious injuries, which she later succumbed to on arrival at the hospital.
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Her stepfather, 45-year-old Kobus Koekemoer, was arrested at the hospital after staff alerted authorities. Louisa Koekemoer was later also arrested after giving the police differing accounts of what had happened to the toddler.
The couple is also facing charges of assault with intent to seriously injure, and abuse of, Poppie’s brother (5) and stepsister (15). The incidents allegedly took place between September 2015 and October 2016.
It is alleged that the children suffered regular injuries. They had bruises, marks and showed signs of “improper emotional behaviour”.
Investigations revealed that social workers had considered removing the children from their parents, but the couple fled to Brits in October last year before this could be done.
The prosecution has applied to centralise the charges as the alleged incidents took place in Brits, Orania and Hopetown – all of which have their own magisterial jurisdictions.
The mother, Louisa, said at the bail hearing that she had never lifted a hand to her children, blaming her husband as the one responsible. She did not interfere because he had threatened to kill her and the children, she claimed.
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She also made a statement as a state witness against her husband, saying that he had hit Poppie’s head against a cupboard and kicked her in the stomach the day before her death.
The state alleges Kobus and Louisa were both participants in the assaults on the children, encouraging each other. The couple was denied bail.
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