Why Echo Wild camp commander got severe sentence

17 April 2015 - 12:27 By Roxanne Henderson

Alex de Koker has received a longer sentence than the required minimum for the murder of his teenage charge in order to teach child abusers a lesson. Sentencing De Koker on Thursday in the Vereeniging Regional Court‚ magistrate Retha Willemse said: “This sentence must send a message that this [abuse] towards children will not be tolerated.”But Michael Erasmus‚ also convicted of the murder alongside De Koker‚ received a stern warning and just three years of correctional supervision.De Koker‚ who ran the military-style Echo Wild Game Rangers training camp near Vereeniging‚ south of Johannesburg‚ received an effective 25 years for the abuse and murder of 15-year-old Raymond Buys and the assault of another trainee‚ Gerhard Oosthuizen.De Koker‚ 49‚ and his right-hand man Erasmus‚ 22‚ were found guilty on February 27 this year.De Koker will serve 20 years for murder‚ five years for child abuse and two years for assault with the intention to do grievous bodily harm. The child abuse and assault sentences will run concurrently.“The deceased was a defenceless child... He had 61 injuries... He was mutilated over a period of time...you had more than enough time to come to your senses‚” Willemse said to De Koker.“You were the person in charge. You were the only person that could put an end to the tragic [abuse] but you did not.“You showed no remorse but instead chose to put the blame on Erasmus.”She spoke to Erasmus with more understanding‚ however‚ saying that he was 18 years old at the time‚ did not have De Koker's emotional and intellectual maturity and therefore could not be held equally responsible.Erasmus will be under house arrest and 24-hour monitoring for the next three years. If Erasmus does not comply with the conditions of his correctional supervision‚ his full sentence of 12 years imprisonment on the murder charge‚ five of which are suspended‚ will come into effect.He was also sentenced to five years‚ suspended for five years‚ for child abuse and six months for the assault.Willemse said that the public often saw correctional supervision as a lesser sentence‚ but warned Erasmus that it would be a great burden.“You will have to explain to your young child why people in uniform are coming [to the house] to look for Dad‚” she said.Erasmus has a seven-week-old daughter who was in court with his girlfriend‚ Cindy Nel‚ and family.Nel sat in the public gallery bent over and weeping as the sentence was handed down.Outside court‚ Erasmus said he was relieved‚ but that he was deeply sorry for what had happened to Buys.“I wish I could turn back time‚” he said.With tears welling up in her eyes‚ Buys's mother‚ Wilna‚ said she was satisfied that justice had been done.De Koker's family‚ who sat packed closely together in the public gallery‚ left court immediately once proceedings had wrapped up.De Koker's lawyer‚ Philip Venter‚ said that they will apply for leave to appeal the conviction and the sentence. - RDM News Wire, TMG Courts and Law..

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