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By Robin-Lee Francke 
7h ago
Cape Town – A man accused of raping and murdering his ex-girlfriend’s 18-month-old son was sentenced in Western Cape Superior Court on Monday.
Jeremiah Ruiters was killed on June 12, 2017. He suffered a broken spine and 14 broken ribs, among other injuries. The cause of the boy’s death was determined to be multiple blunt force trauma.
Ameeroedien Peters, 29, was convicted in December 2019 on charges of rape, murder and child abuse, while Jeremiah’s mother, Abigail Ruiters, 34, who faced a charge of child abuse and murder, was convicted of child abuse.
Peters and Ruiters were acquitted of child abuse charges related to Ruiters’ surviving children, one age eight and the other age three at the time of the incident.
Upon entering the dock from the courtroom, Ruiters greeted his family sitting in the public gallery, while Peters sat down and hid his face.
Before sentencing, Judge Monde Samela said Peters, who was Jeremiah’s caretaker while Ruiters worked, ruled the deceased.
Samela called Jeremiah’s injuries “inhuman torture” and “pain in the worst way.”
“You abused the trust this child had for you. The brutality and cruelty suffered by the deceased, such as multiple broken ribs, multiple injuries to the entire body, some old, some new: rape, injuries to the spine and head, before he died.
“Did he deserve to die at the hands of his caretaker? Did she deserve to die like this? The deceased was deprived of her life by you, Mr. Peters, ”Samela said.
He also called Jeremiah’s biological father, Wesley Timm, who testified during the trial, saying he had “downplayed” his own role with the children and left them in the hands of a negligent mother.
Turning her attention to Ruiters, Samela mentioned that she was pregnant with Peters’ baby during the trial. The child is currently in foster care.
Samela said Ruiters failed to protect Jeremiah and was negligent in ignoring his injuries.
“In my opinion, no sentence can satisfy everyone and any sentence that is passed will never bring the deceased back,” the judge said.
“It is no secret that we read in the newspapers, we hear on the radio and we see the massacre on television, especially of children, women and the elderly. It is certainly a terrifying daily experience. In most cases, innocent, harmless and defenseless people are victims and there is no doubt [this was] the case here. We live in a violent society, ”Samela said.
He said communities were expecting severe sentences and that frequent marches and protests against violence reflected the frustrations of a society that begs for help.
Peters was sentenced to six years in prison for child abuse, life in prison for rape, and 15 years for murder.
Your sentences will run at the same time.
Ruiters, however, was only sentenced to six years for child abuse, three of which will be suspended for the next five years.
Jeremiah’s paternal aunt, Petina Timm, said she did not believe justice would be served.
Speaking to the African News Agency (ANA), Timm said: “We feel that justice was definitely not served when his mother (Ruiters) walked away with a slap on the wrist, yet I am glad that the nightmare of the court case finally finished. . I am pleased that the court recognized that Wesley also abandoned his responsibility to Jeremiah. “
African News Agency / ANA
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