Cape Town - "You are next!! This his is the spine-chilling threat issued to the family of slain Hanover Park teen Jehaan Petersen as her killer was sentenced to life imprisonment last week.
Tears flowed in the Wynberg Regional Court as George Titus, who bludgeoned the 17-year-old to death, was handed a life sentence and declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Titus was lambasted by the magistrate, who said he showed no remorse after Petersen’s body was found on a field in September 2022, just days after she had been reported missing.
At the time, her family revealed that Titus had become obsessed with Petersen and she feared for her life.
After being named as the suspect, Titus fled Hanover Park but was busted by an angry mob in Kalksteenfontein who caught him hiding in their community.
The case was investigated by Gavin Sias of the Philippi police station, and the case was transferred to the Wynberg Regional Court where officers brought a State witness who was present during the murder.
Petersen’s aunt, Tasneem Losper, said the family was overjoyed at the outcome, but were left traumatised by Titus’s threats.
"After he was sentenced he turned in the box and told my youngest daughter: 'You are next!'
“We were so shocked that he could say such a thing and even more traumatised but Colonel Sias immediately jumped out and forced him down into the holding cells.
“We opened a criminal case against him for the threat and the community who came to support us said they would testify to what they heard. The magistrate said over and over in the judgment that he showed no remorse for what he did to Jehaan.”
Losper added that the past few years had been gruelling for the family.
“We would like to thank everyone who has been walking this emotional journey with us.“
Cape Argus