Criminologist pleads for Barbie

ILSE DE LANGE

JOHANNESBURG - Cezanne Visser, better known as Advocate Barbie, was already a broken and withdrawn woman who does not have to be removed from society to be punished for her sex crimes.

This is what a forensic criminologist told the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria yesterday as one of the country’s most sensational criminal trials draws to an end.

Acting Judge Chris Eksteen in October last year convicted Visser on eleven charges, including soliciting a 15-year-old girl to commit indecent acts, indecently assaulting two girls of 11 and 14, indecently assaulting two young women and being a beneficiary to the indecent assault of a third woman.

She was also convicted of the possession and manufacturing of child pornography and defrauding a children’s home by pretending that she and her former lover, Dirk Prinsloo, were married so that she could get young girls for her and Prinsloo’s sexual use.

Criminologist Dr Eon Sonnekus testified that Visser showed “real remorse for her deeds, was already on her way to rehabilitation and should be given the chance to rehabilitate outside prison.

“The accused is, to a large extent, already a broken and withdrawn woman, who will in any event carry the psychological consequences of the criminal case against her for the rest of her life,” he said.

Sonnekus said Visser, whose name was voluntarily removed from the roll of advocates, already had a steady administrative job and should not be deprived of future job opportunities.

He was of the opinion that a totally suspended sentence, or three-year correctional supervision – including community service at the zoo on Saturday afternoons – would best serve the accused and the community.

Judge Eksteen wanted to know what animals had to do with Visser’s contribution to the sexual molestation of children and remarked that Sonnekus seemed to “want to make things as easy as possible” for the accused.

Sonnekus said Visser needed treatment for her “sexual aversion” which was not available in jail.

But, he added, Visser’ s stepfather, Pretoria-based sexologist Professor Johan Lemmer, could provide the treatment she needed.

Visser told Sonnekus she was no longer susceptible to manipulation and would have found it (what she did) “unacceptable” if it had been her own child.

The criminologist could, however, not point to a single instance where Visser had directly asked her victims for forgiveness – not even the young girl who tearfully told the court Visser and Prinsloo had ruined her life.

He testified that Visser had been emotionally and sexually immature when she met Prinsloo and was also suffering from major depression and a weakened will, caused by a failed relationship, which made her more susceptible to Prinsloo’s influence and stronger will.

The trial continues.