Griekwastad Trial: Murder of the Steenkamp Family

[Rocket Raccoon]

Does anyone know what happens now to the estate? Will he still inherit or is it dependent on the outcome of the court case?
Ie: Guilty- doesn't get the money, Innocent- inherits a fortune?

If he's guilty he doesn't get it.

 

[blunomore]

Does anyone know what happens now to the estate? Will he still inherit or is it dependent on the outcome of the court case?
Ie: Guilty- doesn't get the money, Innocent- inherits a fortune?

In SA law, the rule is “de bloedige hand erft niet”. If you are found guilty of murdering somebody, you cannot inherit from that person no matter what is stated in the will of that person.

 

[Dolby]

So where does it go if a second person wasn't listed?

 

[Rocket Raccoon]

So where does it go if a second person wasn't listed?

Maybe the state or other relatives? My money's on the state.

 

[LazyLion]

So where does it go if a second person wasn't listed?

If no family can be found then it goes to the State.

 

[blunomore]

So where does it go if a second person wasn't listed?

If no other beneficiary is named in the will, the heirs are determined in terms of the rules of intestate succession: http://www.justice.gov.za/juscol/news/201106_intestate-and-testate-succession.pdf

 

[airborne]

If it is the son what motivation did he have to do such an atrocity?

 

[nfbs]

If it is the son what motivation did he have to do such an atrocity?

Time will tell. I guess he momentarily gave in to his animal urges but to do that to a 14 year old girl and his sister is really sick. Then to cover it up you have to kill everyone. There is a special place in hell for people like that.

 

[Devill]

If it is the son what motivation did he have to do such an atrocity?

Perhaps rejection by the girl. Perhaps a mental condition, something like sociopathic personality disorder.

Perhaps he was molesting the girl and the dad found out. Perhaps it was a combination of all of these?

 

[blunomore]

Time will tell. I guess he momentarily gave in to his animal urges but to do that to a 14 year old girl and his sister is really sick. Then to cover it up you have to kill everyone. There is a special place in hell for people like that.

Perhaps rejection by the girl. Perhaps a mental condition, something like sociopathic personality disorder.

Perhaps he was molesting the girl and the dad found out. Perhaps it was a combination of all of these?

This is what the papers are implying. Do I recall them mentioning that the daughter had been raped? Or am I mistaken?

I also read an article stating that there was an incident in the boy's (primary?) school a few years back when a teacher was suspended for sexual abuse of pupils. The article did not confirm it, but it was implied that the accused may have been a victim of this abuse.

 

[Devill]

This is what the papers are implying. Do I recall them mentioning that the daughter had been raped? Or am I mistaken?

I also read an article stating that there was an incident in the boy's (primary?) school a few years back when a teacher was suspended for sexual abuse of pupils. The article did not confirm it, but it was implied that the accused may have been a victim of this abuse.

The girl was "molested" is what I read. Not sure about rape.... I really think everything is pointing towards the boy. Very sad.

 

[LazyLion]

Farm workers testify at murder trial

Workers on the Steenkamp farm started drinking home-made beer on the morning of Good Friday in Griekswastad last year, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Tuesday.

They caught a lift to town with murdered farmer Deon Steenkamp and his family, who were on their way to church, on April 6, 2012.

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo was hearing evidence in the murder trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of murdering Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14.

They were allegedly murdered around 6pm that day on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad.

State witness Martha Watermond, who is known in Griekwastad as "Voetpad", said she worked in the house on the farm and baked cookies. Christelle Steenkamp had a cookie business on the farm.

Watermond testified that she spent some time in town.

She and another farmworker's wife, Katrina, then bought petrol worth R40 for Jannie Koopman, known as "Makazol", to take them back to the farm in his Nissan 1400 bakkie.

"We would take 'gemmer' out," she said, explaining that gemmer was a home-made beer.

"You get drunk if you drink that," she said.

Watermond told the court that, by the time they left town with Koopman, they were already under the influence of alcohol.

During the testimony about all the drinking, Kgomo interrupted to ask whether they had eaten anything. Watermond replied that they had.

Testifying about what happened at the police station later that night, Watermond said she passed out there on hearing of the Steenkamp murders.

"I shock (sic) myself sober," she said.

She woke up in hospital only the next day.

The court heard that the drinking had continued at the farmworkers' house at Naauwhoek.

Koopman and two others from town had tried to fix his bakkie, because the exhaust had fallen off on the road to the farm.

Farmworker Abraham van Rooy, known as "Ou Hen", testified that they started Good Friday by checking on the traps set for jackal and caracal.

Before leaving for town, Deon Steenkamp had visited his house to hear about the traps.

Another farmworker, Jannie Ludick, testified that the sheepdogs on the Steenkamp farm would bark when anybody visited the house.

Although he had walked to town in the morning, he returned to the farm with the group in Koopman's bakkie in the afternoon.

The case continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/cls/jk/jje
Date : 05 Nov 2013 14:25

 

[Fudzy]

Workers on the Steenkamp farm started drinking home-made beer on the morning of Good Friday in Griekswastad last year, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Tuesday.

They caught a lift to town with murdered farmer Deon Steenkamp and his family, who were on their way to church, on April 6, 2012.

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo was hearing evidence in the murder trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of murdering Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14.

They were allegedly murdered around 6pm that day on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad.

State witness Martha Watermond, who is known in Griekwastad as "Voetpad", said she worked in the house on the farm and baked cookies. Christelle Steenkamp had a cookie business on the farm.

Watermond testified that she spent some time in town.

She and another farmworker's wife, Katrina, then bought petrol worth R40 for Jannie Koopman, known as "Makazol", to take them back to the farm in his Nissan 1400 bakkie.

"We would take 'gemmer' out," she said, explaining that gemmer was a home-made beer.

"You get drunk if you drink that," she said.

Watermond told the court that, by the time they left town with Koopman, they were already under the influence of alcohol.

During the testimony about all the drinking, Kgomo interrupted to ask whether they had eaten anything. Watermond replied that they had.

Testifying about what happened at the police station later that night, Watermond said she passed out there on hearing of the Steenkamp murders.

"I shock (sic) myself sober," she said.

She woke up in hospital only the next day.

The court heard that the drinking had continued at the farmworkers' house at Naauwhoek.

Koopman and two others from town had tried to fix his bakkie, because the exhaust had fallen off on the road to the farm.

Farmworker Abraham van Rooy, known as "Ou Hen", testified that they started Good Friday by checking on the traps set for jackal and caracal.

Before leaving for town, Deon Steenkamp had visited his house to hear about the traps.

Another farmworker, Jannie Ludick, testified that the sheepdogs on the Steenkamp farm would bark when anybody visited the house.

Although he had walked to town in the morning, he returned to the farm with the group in Koopman's bakkie in the afternoon.

The case continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/cls/jk/jje
Date : 05 Nov 2013 14:25

Not sure if I understand the relevance of this in relation to the murders?

 

[R13...]

Not sure if I understand the relevance of this in relation to the murders?

Yeah reads like something you say to a therapist not a judge in a murder trial.

 

[LazyLion]

Not sure if I understand the relevance of this in relation to the murders?

Me neither, but it was a fairly funny insight into farm life!

 

[LazyLion]

Trial hears of T-Shirt

Considerable force was used to tear a T-shirt found on the scene of the Griekwastad farm murders last year, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.

The court was hearing evidence in trial of the 17-year-old boy accused of the murders of Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14. They were shot on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.

The teenager is also facing charges of rape and defeating the ends of justice. The State called Lt-Col Gerhard Vermeulen of the scientific analysis unit of the police's forensic department to the stand.

He testified about a blue T-shirt belonging to the boy found at the crime scene. The shirt had stretch damage at the shoulders. Vermeulen told the court the damage was most probably caused by a strong pull downwards along the body of the wearer.

"It tells me the same power was used to both sides. In broad terms I would say the damage on both sides was done at the same time."

This could not have been caused by someone being pushed away from the wearer, he said.


Source : Sapa /ag/hdw/jk/th
Date : 06 Nov 2013 12:18

 

[Jola]

Amazing technology.

Yes, but there was serious abuse of such technology by the Italian Prosecution in the Amanda Knox case.

So not always a good thing.

 

[LazyLion]

Trial remains open to the media

The Griekwastad farm murder trial will remain open to the media despite a request that "upsetting" details not be made public, the presiding judge ruled on Thursday.

"There is no sound reason to recall my previous order or to amend it. That order stands," said Judge Frans Kgomo in the Kimberley High Court.

At the start of trial, Kgomo ruled that the media could be present at the trial, but that the 17-year-old youth accused of the three murders could not be identified.

Prosecutor Hannes Cloete earlier requested that the media be excluded from part of the day's proceedings.

He said he had an obligation as an officer of the court to request that the details of the attack on Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14, not be made public.

"The effect of the evidence will be far-reaching for their family and friends," said Cloete.

The details of the evidence would "seriously upset" them.

Defence lawyer Willem Coetzee agreed, describing it as a "moral request" to the court.

But Kgomo ruled that the media be allowed to be present, saying he would give reasons for his decision at a later stage.

He warned journalists covering the trial not to breach the court's agreement to name the boy, even in their private capacities.

"You, as the fourth estate. Nowadays it is very easy to send to the world information and images, sometimes to friends, knowing that this would not be part of the report that you do.

"If the media even in private break the order and send images or messages to friends and family that would breach the court's agreement, we would ask the officer of the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] to investigate a contempt of court [charge]."

The Steenkamp family was shot on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.

The teenager also faces a charge of rape and defeating the ends of justice.


Source : Sapa /ag/fg/hdw
Date : 07 Nov 2013 16:25

 

[schumi]

Griekwastad trial postponed

Kimberley - The trial of the teenager accused of killing three members of the Steenkamp family was postponed to next week in the Northern Cape High Court on Friday.

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in the trial of the 17-year-old youth accused of killing Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14.

They were shot on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on 6 April 2012.

The teenager also faces a charge of raping Marthella, and of defeating the ends of justice.

A clinical forensic physician testified that the girl had injuries similar to those sustained by attempted rape victims.

During cross-examination Dr Tromp Els said speculatively that the redness on the girl's genitals could have been caused by a sanitary pad while riding a horse without a saddle.

During Els's evidence-in-chief the State handed a bundle of photographs to Kgomo and the witness. No photos were shown on the public monitor in court.

Earlier, the court heard that no semen or male DNA was found during the autopsy on the victim.

The court also heard the testimony of two minors, friends of the youth, about discussions they had with him.

Astrophysicist Nicola Loaring, an astronomer at the observatory in Cape Town, testified to the atmospheric conditions on the farm on the day of the murders.

She said the sun was setting at 18:18.

Loaring said at the time the State suggested the murders happened, between 18:34 and 18:50, it would still have been light enough to see properly for a fair distance.

- SAPA

 

[LazyLion]

Griekwastad teen murder 'overkill'

The way Griekwastad teenager Marthella Steenkamp was murdered last year seemed like "overkill", the Northern Cape High Court heard on Monday.

"I see a lot of violent injuries... an overkill in my opinion," testified pathologist Lemaine Fouche of the Northern Cape health department.

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo was hearing evidence in the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of murdering Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and daughter Marthella,14.

They were shot on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on April 6, 2012.

The teenager also faces a charge of raping Marthella Steenkamp and of defeating the ends of justice.

Fouche testified about four gunshot wounds the Steenkamp daughter sustained: one in the chest and three in the head.

There was an entrance wound beside her nose, one gunshot graze wound on her forehead and a wound to the back of her head.

Fouche also testified about various lacerations, bruises and marks on her left arm and hand. In reply to a question by Kgomo, the pathologist said these were defensive wounds.

Fouche also referred to lacerations on the back of the girl's head.

"She died due to multiple gunshot wounds," she told the court.

Fouche testified about a reddish chafe mark on the girl's genitals.

She submitted that the mark indicated "penetration of some sort" and "possibly forced", although there could be other explanations.

However, in her opinion, the girl was forcefully assaulted sexually and, in legal terms, penetrated.

Prosecutor Hannes Cloete told the court the State's case would be that Marthella Steenkamp was first shot in the chest outside the house.

Fouche agreed, because grass was found on her bloodied shirt.

Cloete submitted that the State believed the girl ran inside the house and tried to make a phone call, but collapsed at the phone.

"She would not have had any strength left at that stage," said Fouche.

Fouche told the court the three victims all had head wounds, inflicted just before they died.

The trial continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/hdw/cls/th
Date : 11 Nov 2013 14:24