“Die waarheid het uitgekom.”
These were the words of a relieved Jeremy Sias moments after he was acquitted of the murder of slain showjumper Meghan Cremer following the dramatic trial.
After months of court sittings, delays and a trial-within-a trial, the court found that the State did not prove that Sias had murdered Meghan and hid her body in the boot of her car.
According to the indictment, Meghan was assaulted and robbed by Sias on August 3, 2019 at the Vaderlandsche Rietvlei Stables where she had rented a cottage, and he had been a general labourer.
It was alleged that he strangled her to death, stuffed her body in the boot of her Toyota Auris and left with the car.
He also stole various valuables including her laptop, cellphones, her handbag and bank cards.
Meghan was reported missing on August 3 after she hadn’t arrived at work.
Days later, on August 8, she was found murdered with her hands bound and a restraint around her neck, at a sand mine along Olieboom Road.
The indictment read: “Sias left the premises and drove around looking for a place to dispose of the body.
“Sias dumped Cremer’s body at Olieboom Road, Philippi Farms. “Sias took the bank card of Cremer and made several automatic teller machine withdrawals, and presented the card at various points of sale between August 3 and 5, 2019.”
He later enlisted the help of Charles Daniels and Shiraaj Jaftha to sell the car and they were caught with the vehicle.
The duo were charged separately as there was no evidence linking them to the murder.
Sias pleaded not guilty to charges of premeditated murder, aggravated robbery, theft and obstruction of justice.
He claimed that he stole the car and only later that night found Meghan’s body in the boot and decided to dump it on a veldjie.
During the explosive trial, the wife of the farmer owner, Linda Mohr, outed Meghan as a druggie and presented WhatsApp messages as proof.
She further told the court that three “Malay” men came to the farm to watch Meghan as she took riding lessons, seemingly to intimidate her.
Thursday, judge Elizabeth Baartman did not mince her words when she lambasted the State regarding Mohr’s testimony.
She said Mohr was considered a credible witness and police were aware of the information she had but had opted not to investigate, as it would have harmed their case against Sias.
While Mohr was listed as a State witness she was not called to testify, until she was subpoenaed by defence advocate Bashier Sibda.
The judge added: “Some officers sought to strengthen the State’s case by omitting evidence that they thought may assist the accused.
“Officers boldly told Mohr that information, relevant to this matter, would harm their case against the accused.”
She said while Meghan’s drug habits were not on trial, cops should have investigated whether there was any connection between her death and the “murky drug world”.
Baartman also slammed the State for omitting video footage which would have shown Sias leaving the farm at the time he had stipulated, and said detectives missed basic steps such as sending a blood soaked T-shirt found in Sias’ home for DNA analysis.
In fact, when it was sent for testing at the request of the defence team, it was found that Sias was telling the truth and that the blood belonged to a female friend who was beaten by her boyfriend on the same night.
Baartman said the State relied on Sias pointing out where Meghan’s body was as proof of his guilt, but said this was induced by assault and promises made.
“I am persuaded that the State did not meet its burden of proof to sustain a finding that the accused caused the deceased’s death.”
She found Sias not guilty of Meghan’s murder.
He was found guilty on two charges of theft and defeating the ends of justice.
The case is postponed to March 14 for sentencing.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za