The sentencing of thefive men convictedof the rape and murder of 17-year-oldCytheria Rexwill commence nearly seventeen years after the brutal killing. This was confirmed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), following the court appearances of the men, Virgil Sass, Oswill Grootboom, Imeraan Hendricks, Lee Cloete, and Rhonwen Rhode who are making appearances at the Blue Downs Regional Court and Strand Regional Court. Eric Ntabazalila of the NPA confirmed that the group had made their last appearance on November 21 but that the matter would only be heard for sentencing proceedings in January due to the men’s attorneys who were not present inside court.
“Both judicare (two) lawyers are still absent and the case was postponed until January 19 2026.” Sentencing proceedings have been delayed since June after the Magistrate Deon Van der Spuy fell ill and was hospitalised. The matter wasearlierpostponed to August 26 for a new date and a Magistrate to be assigned and to familiarise himself with the matter and later to September 22, 2025. In September, Ntabazalila explained that all the lawyers and judicare were to attend proceedings in order to arrange a date.
Rex’s family previously toldCape Argusthat they remained in the dark with the matter as no one besides the media communicated what was happening. Two of the accused have since died. Van der Spuy, who is wheelchair-bound, was transferred from Blue Down’s Magistrates Court to Strand Magistrates’ Court last year.
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Earlier, the DA’s Nicholas Gotsell MP – NCOP Member on Security & Justice wrote to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, asking why Rex’s case was not prioritised. In response to Gotsell, the Minister said via a parliamentary question, that the main reason for the delay was due to the accused and systematic reasons, relating to lawyers and judicare, magistrates absenteeism, witnesses and typed court records. Cytheria was stabbed more than 30 times and raped.
During judgement, the Magistrate detailed how the group had all played a role in her death following a party at Sass’s home in Kraaifontein in February 2009 and that they had tried to get rid of the body by throwing it over the wall. And when they were not successful they placed her into a wheelie bin and dumped her body onto the field. DNA evidence including a crucial testimony from a witness sealed the men’s fate.
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