The sentencing of Carl Abrahams, who was found guilty of murdering his estranged wife, Angelique Clarke-Abrahams, hit an unwelcomed snag at the high court in East London on Monday.
Prosecutor Nickie Turner presented the court with an impact report from a clinical psychologist based in Makhanda who examined Abraham’s and Angelique’s eight-year-old boy before the trial began.
After sessions with the boy, the psychologist found the trauma of witnessing the brutal abuse his mother experienced at the hand of her father, observed that he would need constant psychological care for the rest of his life.
During the trial the boy testified to witnessing the final beating which took his mother to the grave.
Angelique was strangled and beaten by Abrahams, to the point where she could not hold her urine.
The boy testified that his father had threatened to break his mom’s neck and kill her.
Defence advocate Mark Botha said he had received the impact report but had not been asked to admit it as evidence.
Turner said she had sent Botha the report on Friday.
This means the clinical psychologist will be called to the witness stand – a delay which has left Angelique’s family disappointed yet again.
The matter was adjourned to March 28, 2022.The last time there was a delay, the defence needed more time to go through evidence and prepare final arguments.
Angelique’s mother Maria Clarke said: “We just want all of this to end. We are happy about the guilty verdict but everything has gone on long enough.”
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