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A man has told a court how a 21-year-old student pleaded for her life while she was gang-raped but they murdered her anyway.

Magistrate's daughter Hannah Cornelius, 21, and a friend Cheslin Marsh, 22, were kidnapped by four men after she gave him a lift home in May last year at midnight.

One of the men said Hannah tried to bargain with the men and said they could have sex with her if they let her go afterwards.

The men used a massive 82lb rock, which was preciously shown in court, to smash in her skull.

The 2ft boulder had been used to cover a borehole and was slammed down on her head TWICE as she was held down, Western Cape Court heard.

To make sure she was dead, one of her killers also plunged a knife into her neck.

Geraldo Parsons, 27, cried as he told the court that he hadn't wanted to rape Hannah as he had a girlfriend and young children but he "did it anyway".

(Image: facebook)

He had pleaded not guilty but his testimony saw him confess to the murder - and implicate his co-accused.

The accused Vernon Witbooi, 33, Geraldo Parsons, 27, Nashville Julius, 29, and Eben Van Nieberk, 28, face charges including murder, kidnap, robbery and rape.

Three of them Witbooi, Julius and Van Nieberk admit that they were present but claimed they only robbed the pair and did not commit the rape or murder.

Parson told the court that the gang wanted to steal the car but things escalated when they realised Hannah and Cheslin were still inside.

Times Live reports him as saying: "Vernon said Hannah said we can have sex with her but then we must leave her after that."

Parsons said he raped Ms Cornelius first, followed by Witbooi and then van Niekerk.

(Image: TimesLIVE)

He claims he tried to get them to release Hannah but they put her in the boot and drove her to a vineyard.

"She didn't want to climb out of the boot. She was holding on to the car. She started panicking. Eben came up and stabbed her. I let her go as the blood started to spill.

"Then I saw Vernon arrive with a rock. I told Vernon 'don't kill her, we've already killed Cheslin, let's leave her'. But Vernon threw the rock on Hannah's head."

The court heard Hannah went through an “extremely painful” ordeal before she was killed.

Hannah suffered severe vaginal and cervical injuries in the prolonged attack.

Heavy bruising on her arms show she had been held down and it is believed that probably several of the gang lifted the huge rock and dropped it on her head.

(Image: TimesLIVE) (Image: facebook)

Forensic pathologist Dr Deidre Abraham who carried out the autopsy on Hannah confirmed that her murderers dealt the fatal blows by dropping the rock twice.

She said: “The skull is made up of very strong bones indeed. It is not easy for a skull to break or crack unless a lot of power is used to actually break the skull.

“The blunt force injuries to her head were very rapidly fatal” she said.

Hannah was the daughter of magistrate Willem Cornelius and lawyer wife Anna, 56, who tragically drowned whilst swimming 10 months after her murder.

Victim Hannah was a straight A’s student and in her second year at Stellenbosch University studying for a Bachelor of Arts when she was attacked and murdered.

(Image: TimesLIVE)

Fellow student Mr Marsh broke down in tears as he told how they were hijacked and he was bundled into the boot while Hannah was held inside the car.

He said they had been for a few drinks and said he was going to use his skateboard to get home but Hannah insisted on driving him in case he was robbed.

Mr Marsh said when they pulled up the gang pounced threatening to stab Hannah to death with a sharpened screwdriver and him to death with a knife placed at his back.

He described how they were driven to a suburb of Cape Town called Kraaifontein 11 miles from where they were hijacked in Stellenbosch and he was pulled from the car boot.

(Image: facebook)

He said: “I lay down on the ground as they told me and put my head on a rock. I closed my eyes and I prayed. The two men were standing over me with bricks in their hands.

“I lost consciousness and when I woke I was in horrible pain, everywhere pain. When I last heard Hannah talking her voice was very soft and I could tell she was scared”.

He managed to stagger to a nearby house covered in blood and raise the alarm.

Mr Marsh was so traumatised he never returned to his studies and is now deaf in one ear as a result of his injuries and vivid scars could be seen on his head as he gave evidence.

One of the men accused of the murder of Hannah had his confession made the day after his arrest read to the court and said the gang went into town “to see what they could get”.

Witbooi alleged the other three took Mr Marsh out the boot while he had a “smoke” and into the bushes and said they told him they had tied him up and left him to be found.

(Image: facebook)

He said he was “only after money” and said after Mr Marsh was left for dead the gang drove off and later took Hannah into bushes but denied any part in her rape and murder.

Witbooi said that three others returned from the bushes after raping Hannah and said: “While we were driving Parsons said I had missed out on having had sex with her.

“He said they had tied the girl up and that the workers would find her tomorrow” he said.

The gang then high on drugs went on a robbery spree in the hijacked car robbing at least three women before the stolen car was spotted and a high speed police chase began.

Three were arrested after dumping the car and fleeing and the fourth was arrested later.