Griquatown teen’s statement questioned
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Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14, were killed on their farm, Naauwhoek. Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14, were killed on their farm, Naauwhoek.
Kimberley - The cross examination of the 17-year-old youth accused of the Griquatown farm murders will continue in the Northern Cape High Court on Tuesday.
He spent most of Monday in the witness stand.
Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in the trial of the teenager, who is accused of shooting dead farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14, on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griquatown, on April 6, 2012.
Prosecutor Hannes Cloete told the youth that a big, strong man such as Deon Steenkamp would not have allowed a stranger to walk through his house.
“The fact is now we know the firearms used were in the safe. We know what needs to be done to get to that safe: through the kitchen, living room, down the passage, into the room, and open the safe and take the guns out.”
Cloete put it to the youth that there were no signs of a struggle in the house.
“There is no way on earth that Deon would allow somebody to pass him,” he submitted, asking the youth how he thought the attacker or attackers did this.
“I do not know,” he said.
Cloete put it to him that, for his version of the story to be true, somebody must have been in the house. The State has argued that this would have been impossible.
Cloete also asked the youth why his counsel had not queried any evidence the State had led, which seemed different from his version.
“I do not know why I missed the fact,” he replied.
Earlier, the prosecution informed the youth that the State alleged he killed three people, tried to rape one of them, and lied to the police.
“Yes, Honourable,” he answered in Afrikaans.
“We are just going to test what you have said, if that could be the truth,” Cloete told him before he began his questioning.
He asked the youth why he had picked up the firearms he said he found next to the farm road. The teenager said it was a way to show the attackers, who might be still in the vicinity, he had a weapon.
“That could not be. Then you would not have placed them on the back seat,” Cloete said.
The prosecutor asked him how it was possible to see the firearms beside the road.
“There is testimony before the court that what you say about the firearms was not possible,” said Cloete.
When proceedings began on Monday morning the youth's lawyer Willem Coetzee called him to the stand as the first witness after the State closed its case last week.
Coetzee led him through the events of the day before the murders. He then started to tell the court about his whereabouts on the day of the attack on the Steenkamps.
The trial continues.
Sapa