Addict admits to killing friend over sex advances

PRETORIA: A drug addict has admitted beating a friend to death with a knobkierie after losing his temper because of the man’s sexual advances.

In the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria yesterday, Juda Joseph Plekenpol, 31, was convicted by Judge Tshifiwa Maumela on charges of murder and robbery after the State accepted his guilty plea.

Plekenpol admitted he had murdered Louis Eksteen, 45, in his house in Garsfontein in April last year and robbed him of his car, cash and other items.

Eksteen’s mother Adri found his bloodied body in the bathroom three days later. He had been bludgeoned, gagged and tied up.

A panel of experts who observed Plekenpol at the Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital found him fit to stand trial. He was, however, diagnosed as suffering from substance dependence, having an antisocial personality disorder and a borderline (emotionally unstable) disorder.

Plekenpol said he had met Eksteen through a mutual friend, Eddie Polland, in March last year.

He had accompanied Polland, who stayed with Eksteen, and spent a night there. He subsequently also befriended Eksteen.

Plekenpol had a sexual relationship with Polland.

About a week later he again visited Eksteen at his home.

Eksteen had meanwhile asked Polland to move out, but Plekenpol spent the night there and agreed to paint some rooms at Eksteen’s house.

On April 9 he again visited Eksteen and they spent the night together, drinking vodka while Eksteen told him about his ex-wife and their marital problems.

He accompanied Eksteen, who had his own business selling wood, to Joburg the next day.

They later used the drug CAT, had dinner and drank alcohol until the early hours.

“At one stage during the evening and whilst we were just having a good time, the deceased made a sexual comment which upset me.

“I tried to ignore this and we continued to converse… The deceased grabbed me by my arm and said we should go to his room.

“In view of his earlier comment, this action shocked and humiliated me again, as I was convinced he wanted me to go with him for sexual purposes,” he said.

Plekenpol said he fell over the couch when he retreated from Eksteen, which angered him.

“I saw the deceased approaching me and I lost my temper and self-control. I picked up one of the canes or knobkierie… and struck the deceased.

Plekenpol said his drug and alcohol abuse, as well as his depression and suicidal tendencies, became worse after the incident. – Sapa