Cape Town – Cassidy Hartzenberg, the nephew of Magistrate Romay van Rooyen, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Western Cape High Court for her murder.
Van Rooyen was found dead in her bedroom in her house in Red Roman Street, Marina da Gama in September 2022.
Hartzenberg, a drug user, was reportedly arrested at this home in Mitchels Plain where the deceased’s vehicle was later discovered, EWN reported at the time.
He had a dispute with his aunt over money.
Hartzenberg confessed to the crime, saying that he strangled her during an argument in her bedroom.
“In his plea and sentencing agreement finalised today [Friday] he confesses they had a good relationship and she emotionally and financially supported him and his family. He claims he visited her on the day of her murder to ask for financial assistance for a job application. They were sitting in the lounge when he asked her but she refused, got up and went into her bedroom,” Times Live quoted National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila as saying.
He added: “He followed her and she was facing away from him when he entered her bedroom. He put his hands around her neck and strangled her. She resisted and fought for her life. He claims he could not stop what he was doing and could not control his anger. She fell to the ground and he realised what he had done as she was no longer breathing.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu