Another Christmas without her daughter as alleged killer walks free amid trial postponements
Lakesha Marthinus was killed after being thrown with a beer bottle allegedly by her boyfriend.
Image: Supplied
The murder trial of Austin du Plessis, accused of killing his girlfriend Lakesha Marthinus with a beer bottle, has been postponed yet again marking at least the 26th postponement in the matter.
The latest postponement was announced in the Mitchells Plain Regional court and was explained that the presiding magistrate had to attend to a family emergency.
Over the years, the case has been delayed for a range of reasons, including incomplete investigations, missing post-mortem reports, outstanding crime scene photographs, and instances where the magistrate was not ready to deliver judgment.
For the victim’s family, each delay deepens the pain.
Cheryl-Ann Smith, the mother of the deceased, described the postponement as another devastating blow. Overcome with emotion as she left the courtroom, Smith said the justice system is failing not only her daughter, but also the child Marthinus left behind.
“That child misses his mommy so much, and every time I come to court, it’s like he knows,” she said through tears.
“I woke up this morning thinking that I would finally get closure. I woke up believing that I don’t have to walk into this court again and sit while the man accused of killing my child walks out the same door as me.”
Smith said what hurts her most is the lack of remorse shown by the accused.
“He didn’t even say sorry, even though he walks right past me. What type of person cannot apologise? Especially someone who supposedly loved my child. They were together for three years, they had a child together, and he can’t even say sorry?”
Despite her pain, Smith said she has made an effort to ensure her grandchild maintains a relationship with his father.
“I am trying on my side to keep the peace, but truly, I cannot handle it anymore. When I saw him walk out of court today, all I could think was that today you were supposed to sit behind bars. You weren’t supposed to see the light outside again.”
Smith added that repeatedly attending court without any resolution reopens wounds no parent should have to endure.
“It feels like you just lost your child yesterday. It opens wounds, your heart breaks again. This year we spent another Christmas without her. Her son woke up and wished her while looking up at the sky. He told her how much he loves her and misses her. Do you know how that feels?”
Marthinus died after Du Plessis allegedly threw an empty beer bottle at her head while she was holding their nine-month-old baby. She was rushed to hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
The matter has been postponed to 6 February 2026 a day before the couple’s child’s birthday.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za