Cape Town - Crime activists and family members have breathed a sigh of relief as the trial of murder accused, Corrine Jackson, finally got under way in the Mitchell’s Plain Regional Court, with two key witnesses taking the stand on Tuesday.
Jackson, who is out on R5 000 bail, claimed she killed her estranged girlfriend, Nadine Esterhuizen, 18, in self-defence. Esterhuizen was stabbed more than 21 times inside a house in Colorado Park in September 2017.
The investigating team revealed during the bail application that the killer had attempted to cut Esterhuizen’s head off.
Jackson was placed under suicide watch after wounds were found on her body.
Several witnesses are expected to take the stand, with Laurenzo Adams and Esterhuizen’s sister, Rhayader Esterhuizen, giving their testimony on Tuesday.
It had been Adams who had found Jackson inside the locked premises with Esterhuizen’s body, and police discovered two knives, one of which was a dagger inside the bathroom where she was supposedly hiding.
A year ago, Adams also took the stand where he detailed how he had knocked on the front door and screamed Nadine’s name as she was supposed to be at home at the time.
Adams said he was greeted by the horrific scene which had blood stains from the lounge to the kitchen and that Nadine was covered in blood.
He then found Jackson inside the bathroom, which had been locked.
Sakienah Daniels and Lynn Philipps of the Cape Flats Safety Forum, who have been following the case since the murder, said they were relieved.
“It is about time, this case has been dragging on for years.
“We want justice and we do not want a few years for the crime that was committed.”
Phillips added: “The suspect constantly changed attorneys and we feel the family needs closure.”
Esterhuizen’s mother, Vanessa Esterhuizen, said the family called for the trial to be finalised before the end of the year.
The trial is expected to continue for the rest of the week.
Jackson is also facing a charge of contravening a protection order relating to an incident which allegedly took place at Strandfontein Pavilion prior to Esterhuizen’s murder.
Esterhuizen sustained a cracked skull and her cellphone was flung into the ocean during the beach incident in 2017.
A case was also opened against Jackson in 2022 by a female victim who claimed she allegedly assaulted her in Vredehoek.
She was also arrested in 2023 for an incident which allegedly took place in Bo-Kaap, involving a male victim.