AFTER waiting almost four years, a distraught mother from Nelson Mandela Bay has finally received justice for her 5-year-old daughter who was brutally raped, murdered and left in a toilet.
Since the August 2019 discovery of little Chantal Makwena’s partially undressed and badly bruised body in a toilet of their Withoogte home by her father, it has been a rollercoaster ride trying to get the culprit, known to the family, arrested.
On top of that, Chantal’s murderer roamed the streets on bail, due to a delay in DNA results.
In July 2021, after receiving positive DNA results linking him to the murder and rape, 26-year-old Ricardo Grysman was arrested at Blozo Location in Rocklands.
Chantal’s parents, Veronica Makwena and Justin Manele, breathed a sigh of relief when Grysman was recently sentenced for their Chantal’s murder.
The Gqeberha High Court handed down two life sentences to Grysman, one for Chantal’s murder and the other for her rape. Grysman was also sentenced to an additional 10 years’ imprisonment for a separate rape incident – of a 49-year-old woman in 2018.
“It was hard for me, sitting there and looking at his face when he was sentenced,” said Makwena. “So many years have passed since my child died, but it still gets to me. It still hurts so much.”
Makwena said she is happy with the double life sentence. “I feel like justice for my daughter has been served. We can start to look forward in the hopes of moving on,” she added.
Desiree Goodman, CEO of the non-profit organisation, Giving Gifts of Love, which has been taking care of Makwena and her family’s needs, also tried numerous times to speed up the DNA results process.
Goodman has been helping the family financially and even helped build a new dwelling since Makwena, her sister and children lived in an outbuilding in Rocklands in horrible, inhumane conditions.
Goodwin was also in constant contact with the lab, trying to find out about the backlog of tests and helping Makwena get an identity document in order for her to receive government funds after losing her job.
“We are very happy that he got the two life sentences for Chantal, and the ten years for the separate rape incident. We have been struggling for a long time to get him linked to the crimes with DNA, and he was just roaming about. He never should have been released in the first place after his first arrest,” said Goodman.
Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen. Nomthetheleli Mene, welcomed the sentence. She commended the investigating officer from SAPS Kabega Park, Sgt Chantell Joubert, and the prosecuting authority, for ensuring Grysman does not see another day outside prison.
“Sexual violence against our women and children is totally intolerable. This vulnerable group is being murdered by those that they love, know and trust. This child’s life and future had ended in such a brutal way and justice has been served on the unremorseful accused. Crimes against children and women are cowardice and sentences such as these meted out by our criminal justice system brings hope to other victims of domestic violence and rape,” said Mene.
