By John-Henry Westen

JOHANNESBURG, March 24, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Writing in the South African paper, The Star, journalist Baldwin Ndaba reports on the outcome of a court case concerning the death of four year old Jandre Botha, a young boy who according to evidence given in court was beaten to death after refusing to call his mother’s lesbian love “Daddy”.Â

On Wednesday, Vereeniging Regional Court magistrate Rita Willemse found Engeline de Nysschen (33), and the child’s mother Hanelie Botha (31) guilty of murder in the death of the child.Â While de Nysschen was found to have inflicted the violence, the judge ruled against Botha for failing to act in the face of repeated physical abuse of her child by de Nysschen, and lying in order to protect her.

Court testimony from employees of the lesbian couple indicated that a major assault on the boy occurred as he refused repeated requests to call de Nysschen “Daddy”.

Botha claimed that her child had died after slipping in the bath, but medical experts dismissed the claim noting injuries, including a fractured skull and brain damage, as well as broken legs, collarbone, hands and pelvis which were sustained over time.

A pre-sentencing report is expected June 26.

See the account in The Star here:

http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=128&fArticleId=3171828