Poppie’s mother, stepfather handed life for murder
The mother and stepfather of
3-year-old Poppie van der Merwe have been sentence to life in prison for the
toddler’s murder.
Louisa Koekemoer and Kobus Koekemoer were sentence in the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.
The couple was arrested after Poppie died near Brits in North West in October 2016.
Judge Bert Bam also handed the couple an additional 10 years each for child abuse.
In his judgment Judge Bam described the two as inherently evil as they abused Poppie for eight months before she died.
He also found that they were not remorseful.
North West police commissioner Baile Motswenyane, meanwhile, has welcomed the sentences handed down to the Koekemoers.
Motswenyane believes the sentences will serve as a deterrent to those who are thinking of committing crimes against women and children.
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