The father of a Mitchells Plain teen accused of murdering his magistrate aunt and stealing her car says he would have known if his son was a druggie.
This was revealed at the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court yesterday as Cassidy Hartzenberg, 18, returned to court for the murder of Romay van Rooyen.
Van Rooyen, who had presided at the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court, was found dead in her Marina da Gama home on September 10. There were reportedly no signs of forced entry.
The 50-year-old had left work that Friday to attend a family gathering. Her Toyota RAV4 had been taken, and later found near Mitchells Plain.
The Hawks swooped in on Hartzenberg at his Mitchells Plain home and according to the State’s case, he strangled his aunt and stole her car as well as an unknown amount of money.
At the time of his arrest, Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed that he was a pallbearer at his aunt’s funeral.
The case was postponed to February 16 for further investigation.
Dad Deon says: “We are just taking it one day at a time. We never expected this and the mere fact that they say they have evidence we take it from there. We are being kept up to date with the case.
“If he had to be a druggie, I would have known. If he did abuse it now and then, I wouldn’t know.”
dailyvoice@inl.co.za