The pre-sentencing proceedings of the remaining three accused, Zak Valentine, Cecilia Steyn and Marcel Steyn, who were found guilty earlier this year in the Krugersdorp murders case, continued in the South Gauteng High Court this morning, 13 August.
Rosalind McNab took to the witness stand. She is an educational and counselling psychologist with more than 19 years of experience.
Read part one of Pre-Sentencing:
#KrugersdorpMurders – Pre-sentencing starts with social worker’s testimony
She told the court that she had sat in on most of the court proceedings after the judgment was handed down and had asked Advocate Johnson if she could help.
“I felt Marcel Steyn had a lesser part to play in terms of the crimes,” McNab explained.
According to her, Marcel used to feel safe whenever she was with her father. She explained that the fighting between Marinda and her ex-husband became so bad that Marcel was at times terrified.
Read part two of Pre-Sentencing:
#KrugersdorpMurders – Cecilia Steyn says judge should call on God to testify
Marinda eventually remarried, although the marriage only lasted two years. Marcel told McNab that she remembers Marinda and her new stepsister fighting. During one fight, Marinda actually sat on the girl.
Her report said that Marcel was introduced to Cecilia at the age of 10, when she started visiting Cecilia’s home regularly to help her out. She allegedly idolised Cecilia, and at the age of 13 she was told to move in with Cecilia.
McNab said that Marcel’s extensive responsibilities did not leave her with much time for herself and she only had one friend, with whom she did not spend much time outside of school.
Read part three of Pre-Sentencing:
Marcel allegedly only had one boyfriend in her life, when she was in Grade 5 and the relationship only lasted three months.
Marcel was told that if she had her period she would encourage blood demons to come to her house, so she made use of a birth control injection.
She told McNab that she and the group used Cat and eventually moved on to Meth. She also used LSD and cocaine on two occasions.
Once, Marcel stated that she had started smoking marijuana more regularly as it helped her to sleep.
Read part three of Pre-Sentencing:
#KrugersdorpMurders – Steyn children’s dad had enough and said their mother could take them
McNab’s report stated that Marcel once shoplifted and stole medication for Cecilia and baby items for the children at the orphanage.
When McNab interviewed Marcel, she said she portrayed an analytical approach to questions. She explained that Marcel expressed that she was scared to answer the questions in the wrong way because she believed that one person’s personal trust differed from another’s.
During these interviews, Marcel cried when discussing her brother, as well as when they elaborated on her involvement in the crimes.
The test conducted by McNab showed that the drugs Marcel used assisted her in almost detaching her from her emotions. McNab also said that Marcel used fantasy to escape from her reality.
“I believe that Marcel has learnt over the years to appear composed,” she testified.
The tests that McNab had run on Marcel would show if she was faking being good or faking being bad.
Marcel had presented with substance abuse and features of Bipolar disorder without psychotic features, with means she does not get to the point where she loses touch with reality.
McNab explained that she found that Marcel suppresses her own ideas, thinking they are not good enough. She has a strong longing to relate to others but may also willingly submit to others, and may have learned to avoid emotional experiences and suppress certain events.
Marcel said when she had to do the cooking, she used to pretend she was on a cooking show and would give running commentary on what she was doing. This, said McNab, shows her ability to detach.
McNab said that although Marcel showed psychopathology, she did not have any psychopathic traits. McNab said she does not know of psychopathic demons but doubted that Marcel had them.
A card test showed that Marcel suppressed any emotions relating to the crimes she was involved with. She shows no feeling for some of her victims because she would disconnect from the event.
Marcel had explained during the interview process that she was afraid that demons would take over her body.
“It is clear that she wished she could have lived a normal childhood with a close-knit family.”
McNab said that it was clear from the card tests that Marcel’s reaction to the cards paralleled her life experiences from an early age to date.
