Dina's family out to find 'missing answers'
26 July 2007, 04:14
Orlando Rodrigues believes only one person can disclose the truth about the murder of six-month-old Jordan Leigh Norton: his sister Dina's former boyfriend, Neil Wilson.
In an interview on the eve of the hearing of his sister's application for leave to appeal against her conviction for murder, he said the family had "many questions" about the circumstances surrounding the baby's killing.
Wilson was Baby Jordan's father.
"Wilson has many questions to answer... not least of which is why he waited four days before going to the police to tell them that Dina had confessed to the murder," he said.
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As the state's main witness against Dina, Wilson testified that Dina had told him his baby was dead and that she had paid R10 000 for "all of it to go away".In an interview on the eve of the hearing of his sister's application for leave to appeal against her conviction for murder, he said the family had "many questions" about the circumstances surrounding the baby's killing.
Wilson was Baby Jordan's father.
"Wilson has many questions to answer... not least of which is why he waited four days before going to the police to tell them that Dina had confessed to the murder," he said.
After this disclosure about her involvement in the fatal stabbing of his infant daughter, Wilson - by his admission - had later spent the night with Dina. He also confirmed, when pressed under cross-examination, that he and Dina had exchanged 22 calls and SMSes after her confession - not two SMSes, as he had initially told the police.
He testified that, after a request from Dina, he had deleted all the incriminating SMSes he claims she had sent had him after the murder.
Wilson told the court he had delayed going to the police because of emotional torment.
Orlando Rodrigues said his sister's Cape High Court application would examine Wilson's credibility.
"Because so much of the judgment relies on Wilson's credibility, we will focus on that," he said.
Asked why his sister had not taken the stand, he said the decision had been based on "legal strategy".
"We were and are focused on finding the best way to protect Dina and our family. We did what we thought was best at the time and we have no regrets."
Orlando emphasised that his family was firmly behind his 25-year-old sister, who is serving her sentence in Pollsmoor Prison.
"I will fight for my sister as long and as hard as I have to. I know who she really is and I will never stop believing in her."
His family had "learnt to live with" the intense media coverage and public interest in the trial of his sister and the men she was found to have hired to kill the baby, Sipho Mfazwe, Mongezi Bobotyane, Zanethemba Gwada and Bonginkosi Sigenu.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on July 26, 2007
Pretoria
