Ten things you didn’t know about Jeanette Traverso, the Shrien Dewani murder trial judge

Western Cape Deputy Judge President,  Jeanette Traverso has come under heavy scrutiny since Shrien Dewani’s case was thrown out.

In court yesterday, Traverso read:

“In the circumstances I make the following order, the application in terms of section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act is granted, the accused is fund not guilty and discharged.”

What you didn’t know about Traverso:

Born on 28 May 1946, she comes from a privileged Afrikaans background.

She graduated from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa with a Bachelor of Arts in 1966.

Furthering her studies, Traverso graduated from the University of Stellenbosch in  1968 with a Bachelor of Law.

In 1969 Traverso started her law career as a Prosecutor at the Cape Town Magistrate’’s Court.

Since 1994, Traverso has been serving as a judge at the High Court of South Africa.

Since 2001, she has been serving as the Deputy Judge President of the Cape Provincial Division at the High Court of South Africa.

Back in January 2001  she became the first woman to be appointed as Deputy judge President.

High profiled cases covered by Traverso include the Sasha-Leigh Crook murder trial.

Back in 2011 she was involved in a golf cart freak accident at the Royal Cape Golf Club. Injuries sustained as a result of the accident include a punctured a lung and broken bones from her pelvis to her shoulder, which lead to her being placed in a medically-induced coma.

Traverso is ranked as the the second most senior judge in the Western Cape.