The South African press is currently riveted with the story of Morne Harmse, a young man who seemingly experienced some sort of psychotic break, donned a Slipnot-esque mask, and went on a rampage with a ninja sword killing one teenager and wounding three others. Harmse, who plead guilty to the crimes, just underwent a sentencing trial where the court called expert witness Dr. Kobus Jonker.

“Sword killer Morne Harmse may not have been a practising satanist, but he was dabbling in the occult.  This was according to satanism expert Dr Kobus Jonker, who testified this morning in the pre-sentencing hearing of the teenager who went on the rampage with a ninja sword at his school last year, killing a fellow pupil.  He took the stand as the expert witness called by the court.  Jonker, a retired policeman, said he had established the police’s occult-related crimes unit after being told to look into the issue by former minister of law and order Adriaan Vlok.  Between 1981 and 2000, Jonker investigated hundreds of occult-related crimes and testified in 30 to 40 murder cases. This earned him several nicknames, including “Donker Jonker”, “The Hound of God” and “God’s Detective”. His unit was disbanded after human rights groups claimed that it was not constitutional in a country that guaranteed religious freedom.”

If that names seems familiar, it’s because Jonker was essentially the face of “Satanic Panic” in South Africa. Jonker and his now-disbanded “Occult Related Crimes Unit” essentially spread Christian propaganda regarding the “occult” and “Satanism” under the auspices of law enforcement. Jonker and his group  were also profiled by Kerr Cuhulain, who pointed out the many troubling aspects to the (mis)information this unit was spreading. So what did this “expert” have to say about Harmse? That he wasn’t a Satanic murderer because he didn’t fit his almost comical list of stereotypes.

“Dr Kobus Jonker, testified that although Harmse had been experimenting with Satanism and witchcraft, his involvement in such practices was superficial … Jonker said certain items and rituals typically present in a Satanic murder were absent in Harmse’s case … the bedding and curtains in Harmse’s bedroom were coloured, whereas a practising Satanist would have had only black or red. There were also no blood smears or animal parts found in his bedroom … candle wax found on the ouija board under his bed was white, pink and yellow, whereas a Satanist would have used only black and red candles … Jonker said that on the day of the murder, Harmse had not spoken in any demonic language…”

What demonic language exactly? Backwards Latin? What? That Jonker was allowed to peddle this nonsense at a high-profile murder trial mocks the entire proceeding. The family of the murdered boy and the family of Harmse have to sit and listen while this man prates on about black and red candles? He and the judge that allowed this should be ashamed. A judgement on sentencing is expected by September 10th, let’s hope that decision is aided by real expert/clinical analysis and not the imagination of a born-again Satan-hunter.

Tags: Kobus Jonker, law, litigation, Morne Harmse, occult, Satanic Panic, Satanism, South Africa