Corrine Jackson's trial for alleged murder faces further delays

The much-anticipated murder trial against Corrine Jackson, accused of attempting to behead her teenage girlfriend eight years ago, has been hit with more delays. 

This, as her legal team is questioning whether Jackson was warned about the implications of giving testimony during her bail application when she took the witness stand, which could be used against her during the trial.

Jackson took the stand in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate's Court in 2017, where she claimed she acted in self-defense on the day of the murder in September 2017 in Colorado Park.

The State is set to prove Jackson stabbed her estranged girlfriend, Nadine Esterhuizen, 18, more than 20 times and attempted to cut her head off.

Jackson was found hiding in a locked toilet at the residence where Esterhuizen’s body was found and was allegedly in possession of two daggers.

Transcripts of the court recordings are now being reviewed to determine whether Jackson was warned.

Two vital witnesses, that of the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem and the first responder, who were ready to take the stand last week, will now have to wait until August before their evidence will be heard.

A list of witnesses, which included the victim’s sister Rhayader Esterhuizen, Rhayader’s boyfriend, Laurenzo Adams and her brother and others, have taken the stand during the trial.

When taking the stand a year ago, Adams detailed how he knocked on the room door and screamed Esterhuizen’s name.

He said he found the bathroom window open and saw a door closing, assuming the person inside was going to open the front door.

He explained that the door remained locked and eventually he asked another tenant to provide him with spare keys and that he was greeted by the horrific scene which, showed a blood stain from the lounge to the kitchen, with Esterhuizen covered in blood.

He then found Jackson inside the bathroom which had been locked.

Jackson is currently out on R5 000 bail and is also expected to bring her list of witnesses once the State closes its case.

Linda Jones of the Mitchell’s Plain Resident’s Association and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) said they were relieved that the case was finally under way following years of delays.

“We are happy that there is finally light at the end of this tunnel," she said.

“It is a never ending story with the changing of attorneys and so many delays

“We are very grateful for the prosecutor who wants to see this matter finalised.

“We pray for the family, it has been almost eight years since they have lost their loved one.

“We welcome this proceeding even though we wished the date was sooner but the rights of everyone must be upheld  at the cost of others at times .”

Cape Argus