Cape Town - Alleged child killer Mortimer Saunders is active on social media from behind bars, changing his profile picture and posting photos of his girlfriend.
Last week, Saunders, accused of raping and killing three-year-old Courtney Pieters, updated his Facebook profile, and posted new photos of himself inside Pollsmoor Prison, as well as that of a woman, “Candice”, believed to be his girlfriend.
The 40-year-old deleted Candice’s photos on Sunday.
According the Department of Correctional Services, prisoners are not allowed to have access to cellphones or social media while in prison.
The smiling profile picture of the man accused of brutally killing a child has outraged the Elsies River community.
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Residents in Salberau, where Courtney and Saunders lived, alerted the Daily Voice to two profile updates done on 8 and 9 November.
Four pictures of Candice were posted, which the community confirmed was Saunders’ girlfriend before his arrest in May.
Saunders also posted a new profile picture, wearing a blue and white striped T-shirt, and smiling widely which was taken next to a white prison gate.
People reacted angrily on Facebook after a community worker alerted them on the Elsies River V2.0 group.
Screengrab: Facebook
Adelaide de Klerk wrote: “I couldn’t help myself I went to go look after reading this post! “Nogal a profile..pic update...Tronk...background and all...and.. flirting with a lady Kan jy nie Skreeee....nie!!” (sic) (A profile picture update with the prison as background. And he is also flirting with a lady...)
Elverene Davids, who protests outside court whenever Saunders appears, said: “’* Mens verwag nie om so ’n vark nog op fb te sien nie.Hut genoeg hartseer gebring” (sic) (You don't expect to that pig on Facebook. He has caused enough heart-ache)
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On 3 May, Courtney disappeared from her home in Pluto Street. Her body was found buried in a shallow grave in Epping Industria, not far from her home, nine days later.
Saunders was boarding with the family at the time and was the best friend of Courtney’s father, Aaron Fourie.
Saunders next appears in the Western Cape High Court on 24 November for his first pre-trial hearing.
The Pieters family could not be reached for comment.