Africa-Press – South-Africa. Murder-accused Jeremy Sias’ girlfriend was so upset by admissions he made to police in her presence that she walked out of the investigating officer’s office, the Western Cape High Court heard on Monday.
Jaydeen Azur, the mother of four of Sias’ five children, was taken to the Philippi police station, on her boyfriend’s request, for her to be present as he told Sergeant Xolani Basso his version of what happened to murdered Meghan Cremer, the officer testified.
This, as a trial-within-a-trial unfolded regarding the admissibility of the notes taken during the pointing out of Cremer’s remains.
Basso, a detective employed by the police for the past 19 years, said he collected Sias from the station’s holding cells on 6 August 2019, three days after the horse rider’s disappearance.
Meghan Cremer’s face was so badly disfigured that family identified her by jewellery, mom tells court
News24 earlier reported that Sias was arrested after two men were caught in possession of her Toyota Auris. They had been pulled over for driving without number plates. The pair had told police that Sias had given them the car, instructing them to sell it.
Basso said he informed Sias of his rights, which he waived.
“On that day, the accused told me he was willing to tell me exactly what happened. He said he wanted to continue,” Basso testified.
“When I was about to conduct the interview with the accused, I had a brief talk with him. The accused requested me to personally go and fetch his girlfriend, Jaydeen Azur.”
Basso complied and she sat in as he took down Sias’ statement.
“At some point, she stood up and went out of my office. I could see she was upset.”
The contents of the statement have not yet been disclosed.
“I put the detail in writing and shared it with the branch commander. I followed proper procedure, so that the accused could do the pointing out of the deceased.
“The accused informed me in my office of the whereabouts of the body.”
Basso said Sias was taken to see a doctor to confirm he had no injuries. This was to check that he was not assaulted or tortured into making admissions.
The officer said Sias agreed to point out where Cremer’s remains were. The accused had no visible injuries and didn’t complain of any, he testified.
He later led police to the body.
Earlier in the trial, Sias, through his advocate, claimed that he had found Cremer’s car, with the key in the ignition, at Vaderlandsche Rietvlei Farm, where he was employed as a general worker, and where Cremer lived.
According to his version, he had taken her car for a joyride on 3 August. Later that night, he rifled through the vehicle and discovered her body in the boot, he claimed.
He dumped her remains on a farm in Olieboom Road, Philippi, as he ostensibly feared he would be accused of her murder.
The trial-within-a-trial continues on Wednesday.
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