Two half-sisters yesterday denied earlier claims by their stepmother convicted of killing their father that he was an abusive man.
Fawzia Adriaanse and Estella Antonio, who were born from different mothers, testified during mitigation of sentence in the South Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge, that their father, George Frans Dalton, was a loving man who had never laid a hand on anyone.
They instead accused (Anne) Michelle Dalton, 46, of being the one who abused their father.
"I met my father when I was 15. He was loveable, loving and caring. He also loved my daughter and spoiled her with gifts and money. I was heartbroken when he got married to Michelle. He invited my husband and my daughter to his wedding and I refused.
"He once came to my house and complained that Michelle didn't want him to give my daughter money and that she beat and swears at him every time he left.
"He said she always asked for money to buy drugs and if he didn't give her, she became aggressive. My father was not abusive and I was shocked when I heard in court that he was abusive. To me he was loving," said Adriaanse.
She is troubled by flashbacks of her father's burnt body after she identified it at a mortuary and said any sentence imposed on both Michelle and her convicted son Chad Alexander, 22, will not bring her father back.
Antonio also described Dalton as a respectable and honest man who never laid a hand on her or insulted her.
However, she said Dalton once complained to her about his marriage, that Michelle was accusing him of cheating behind her back and Michelle was often fighting with him.
On Monday, Michelle claimed Dalton was an abusive man who later turned her into an alcoholic and drug addict.
She said the abusive relationship made her have mood swings and she attempted suicide a few times.
In 2010 she was diagnosed as bipolar and suffered from seizures.
Michelle claimed she could not cope with Dalton's death and resorted to liquor and drugs until she went for rehabilitation.
Two months ago, acting judge Audrey Mpofu convicted both Michelle and her son Alexander for Dalton's murder.
Alexander's girlfriend Jessica Tarryn Lee, 23, was acquitted.
Michelle was also convicted on two separate charges of incitement to commit murder after she earlier approached Cody Sinclair and Shellwyn Booysen on separate occasions to kill her husband.
Booysen was promised R3000 in return if he had killed Dalton.
Michelle reported Dalton missing three days after his body was found.
Dalton's burning body was found on July 14 2012 in an open space in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg, by a passer-by.
He died from head injuries and burns.
Sentencing continues.
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
Murdered dad was 'loving, not abusive', daughters say
Two half-sisters yesterday denied earlier claims by their stepmother convicted of killing their father that he was an abusive man.
Fawzia Adriaanse and Estella Antonio, who were born from different mothers, testified during mitigation of sentence in the South Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge, that their father, George Frans Dalton, was a loving man who had never laid a hand on anyone.
They instead accused (Anne) Michelle Dalton, 46, of being the one who abused their father.
"I met my father when I was 15. He was loveable, loving and caring. He also loved my daughter and spoiled her with gifts and money. I was heartbroken when he got married to Michelle. He invited my husband and my daughter to his wedding and I refused.
"He once came to my house and complained that Michelle didn't want him to give my daughter money and that she beat and swears at him every time he left.
"He said she always asked for money to buy drugs and if he didn't give her, she became aggressive. My father was not abusive and I was shocked when I heard in court that he was abusive. To me he was loving," said Adriaanse.
She is troubled by flashbacks of her father's burnt body after she identified it at a mortuary and said any sentence imposed on both Michelle and her convicted son Chad Alexander, 22, will not bring her father back.
Antonio also described Dalton as a respectable and honest man who never laid a hand on her or insulted her.
However, she said Dalton once complained to her about his marriage, that Michelle was accusing him of cheating behind her back and Michelle was often fighting with him.
On Monday, Michelle claimed Dalton was an abusive man who later turned her into an alcoholic and drug addict.
She said the abusive relationship made her have mood swings and she attempted suicide a few times.
In 2010 she was diagnosed as bipolar and suffered from seizures.
Michelle claimed she could not cope with Dalton's death and resorted to liquor and drugs until she went for rehabilitation.
Two months ago, acting judge Audrey Mpofu convicted both Michelle and her son Alexander for Dalton's murder.
Alexander's girlfriend Jessica Tarryn Lee, 23, was acquitted.
Michelle was also convicted on two separate charges of incitement to commit murder after she earlier approached Cody Sinclair and Shellwyn Booysen on separate occasions to kill her husband.
Booysen was promised R3000 in return if he had killed Dalton.
Michelle reported Dalton missing three days after his body was found.
Dalton's burning body was found on July 14 2012 in an open space in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg, by a passer-by.
He died from head injuries and burns.
Sentencing continues.
ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za
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