Reagan Gertse Murder: Emotions Run High As Accused Appears In Tulbagh Court

CAPE TOWN – Emotions ran high during the court appearance of a man accused of the rape and murder of a 7-year-old boy in Tulbagh.

Reagan Gertse’s body was found on Sunday, hours after he was reported missing.

Not for the first time, a parolee was arrested in connection with the death of a child.

Community leader Billy Claasen said that Tulbagh residents and Reagan Gertse’s relatives showed their frustration when the accused appeared in court on Tuesday.

“The father tried to grab him but we managed to calm him and took him outside. Then the grandfather and the grandmother wanted to grab him. The situation in Tulbagh was very volatile.”

Police and prison wardens had to take 58-year-old Jakobus Petoors to the holding cells on more than two occasions because there was chaos in the courtroom.

Claasen said that the accused was the victim’s step-grandfather’s brother and lived only two doors away from the slain child’s family home.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that the accused was released on parole in November but has not yet confirmed why he was jailed.

Petoors is due back in the dock on 2 June.

EWN