Twenty years’ jail for rape, murder of mom

A CONVICTED Ocean View murderer and rapist will spend the next 20 years behind bars.

Eben Kotze, 32, was sentenced in the Western Cape High Court yesterday following a two-year court case involving the rape and murder of Crystal Newman.

Newman, 23, was believed to be a sex worker. Her body was found in Kotze’s room by one of his friends. Kotze was found guilty of raping Newman, a mother of two, in August 2014, and strangling her before dumping her body on an embankment on Red Hill Road in Simon’s Town.

Kotze used his friend John Marius’s car to dispose of the body.

Marius turned State witness and received indemnity from prosecution.

Kotze had attempted to conceal DNA evidence by cleaning Newman’s private parts with Dettol.

Her body was discovered soon after.

During the trial, Advocate Mbulelo Koti said Kotze never showed remorse, saying he killed Newman in self-defence following an alleged knife attack.

“This accused is not a suitable candidate for rehabilitation. He has been to rehabilitation several times for his drug problem but continued with his drug use,” Koti said.

Judge Babalwa Mantame agreed with Koti that Kotze wasn’t remorseful.

Kotze was sentenced to 15 years for rape and another 15 years for murder.

Ten years of the rape sentence will run concurrently with the 15 years for murder.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the NPA welcomed the sentence.

“During the trial, Advocate Mbulelo Koti demonstrated the callousness of the accused, how he had no respect for the life of the deceased.