On Monday, May 5 De Jager reappeared in court to hear his sentencing as he was found guilty on Tuesday, April 29.
De Jager’s lawyer Sakkie Maartens was involved in another matter on Monday which would have started later and was therefore unavailable for the sentencing.
De Jager who was dressed in a tracksuit top and jeans would remain in custody until May 22 for the sentencing.
On Tuesday, he was convicted of killing 18 year old Hiltina Alexander in 2008 and 16 year old Charmaine Maré last year.
Acting Judge Chuma Cossie found De Jager guilty of raping and killing Alexander and for killing Maré.
She described De Jager, as “insensitive” and “unremorseful,” At this he scowled at the judge’s words and pursed his lips.
During his trial, he had stuck to his version that he grabbed Maré in the bathroom last January because she was taking her time and she then slipped and fell.
He claimed she hit her upper body or head on the rim of the bath and never regained consciousness.
He testified that he dismembered her body and burned the torso because he was shocked and confused.
“The way in which De Jager had burned the corpse indicated there was a deliberate attempt to conceal the evidence. The explanation that was given to the court as to why he set the body alight was that he wanted to get rid of the body,” said Cossie.
While he had given a detailed and complete account of what happened in the week that Maré spent with him in Kraaifontein, he had acted completely different in cross-examination.
