GUILTY South Africa - Gill Packham, 57, murdered, Cape Town, 22 February, 2018 *arrest*

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The car turned into Kendall Road and Gray didn't see if it turned left or right into Main Road. He lost sight of the vehicle as there was traffic. He radioed that it could be heading toward the M5 and that he was standing down.

Gray points out #Packham as the man he saw in the car that day, by touching him on the shoulder as Judge Steyn allowed him to go and have a closer look after he pointed out someone in the gallery. He also identified him in a photo identification parade.

Adv Galloway asks about the other person who Gray pointed out, the man in the gallery. He is a member of the public sitting in the back of the courtroom.

Adv Webster cross examines. Gray is 76 and wears spectacles for reading and distance. He had his eyes tested last week and a year ago.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
Adv Webster asks if Gray was wearing his glasses when he saw the man get into the BMW 60m away. He had been wearing his long-distance sunglasses, but can't recall if he had them on when this happened.

Gray wears his sunglasses generally, but can't recall if he'd been wearing it when he pulled up next to the driver. Windows rolled up. Adv Webster says he didn't have a clear view, Gray concedes not 100% clear. Looked at him momentarily before driving off.

Adv Webster points out Gray in his statement to police couldn't give a description of the man. "It was a quick glance," Gray tells the court.

Gray says after seeing the green BMW, he received a Facebook message that a person and vehicle was missing. ID parade was held two months later. Adv Webster says there was a lot of publicity given to the #Packham matter.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter

Galloway must be cringing while listening to this. Not what you'd call a wonderful witness.
 
JudgeJudi said:
Adv Webster asks if Gray was wearing his glasses when he saw the man get into the BMW 60m away. He had been wearing his long-distance sunglasses, but can't recall if he had them on when this happened.

Gray wears his sunglasses generally, but can't recall if he'd been wearing it when he pulled up next to the driver. Windows rolled up. Adv Webster says he didn't have a clear view, Gray concedes not 100% clear. Looked at him momentarily before driving off.

Adv Webster points out Gray in his statement to police couldn't give a description of the man. "It was a quick glance," Gray tells the court.

Gray says after seeing the green BMW, he received a Facebook message that a person and vehicle was missing. ID parade was held two months later. Adv Webster says there was a lot of publicity given to the #Packham matter.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter

Galloway must be cringing while listening to this. Not what you'd call a wonderful witness.
Click to expand...

Oh dear, didn’t he expect to see accused in the Dock?
 
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Adv Webster shows Gray a bundle of newspaper clippings before he had identified #Packham. March 6, "'Wife' killer in court" headline in Daily Voice with a photo of Rob and Gill. Gray says he didn't see this and doesn't buy newspapers. Doesn't recall seeing it on FB.

Adv Webster says it was likely that Gray had seen media coverage of #Packham before he identified him in April last year. Correct, Gray responds.

Adv Webster says a normal ID parade involves live people. Gray says he wasn't asked to do one. On the day of the photo parade, one Mr Thomas had been there for the same reason. They had not been together when shown the photos.

Gray confirms he spoke to Mr Thomas before the ID parade, but can't recall what they had spoken about. The man came "from the other side of the railway line". General discussion about the incident, Gray says.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
Adv Webster refers to the paperwork of the ID parade, which indicates it took Gray 22 minutes to point out the man. Gray says there was no hesitation on his side.

Gray says the clerk took notes and typed with two fingers. He never took a time trial of how long it took for the procedure, but it took seconds or minutes, not 22 minutes, he insists.

According to the documents, Gray said the person he saw "has the general appearance" of the person in the photo. Accurate identification wasn't possible because both windows were up? "That's fair, " Gray replies.

Packham denies being there that day, saying he at 2pm was returning to his home after driving to St James and Kalk Bay looking for his wife in his white Audi Q5, Adv Webster says. He then drove to Hout Bay and Chapmans Peak.

Packham says Gray is mistaken about seeing him that day. "Negative", Gray replies. Adjourn for lunch.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter

The Judge was sweet. She told Gray to go out and have something nice to eat, get his blood sugar up etc.
 
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I feel sorry for this witness. He’s being completely honest but doesn’t appreciate that every little nuance is being analysed. Galloway seems quite cool about it all. She was probably hoping he'd stand up better but most lay witnesses are extremely nervous in court, and most aren't 76 years old.
 
This is the unsolicited email Rob #Packham sent witness Terry Adams, an HR manager at Twizza, after his dismissal. Abv Webster, for the accused, said his client had wanted to give his side of the story.

[It's in the form of an affidavit containing his version of what happened on the day he murdered Gill, 22 Feb 2018. ]

Aff. p.1.JPG Aff. p.2.JPG

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
Court resumes. Gray confirms that in his police statement he said he had noticed a nearby open gate and when he had peered through, had seen two cars. After pursuing the green BMW, he returned to the property and rang the bell. Nobody answered.

Adv Galloway asks Gray if he ever saw the other witness, Mr Thomas, ever again. He says he never did. Gray is excused.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

Court has adjourned until 10:30 tomorrow as the Judge wants a late start. Galloway only has 2 witnesses, so it will be another short day.
 
JudgeJudi said:
I feel sorry for this witness. He’s being completely honest but doesn’t appreciate that every little nuance is being analysed. Galloway seems quite cool about it all. She was probably hoping he'd stand up better but most lay witnesses are extremely nervous in court, and most aren't 76 years old.
Click to expand...

I was a bit quick to “judge” this witness. I feel sorry about that now I’ve heard his circumstances. The whole ordeal must be overwhelming.
 
So if I understand the sequence of events correctly. I apologise for the long post.
  • Probable before 8am on the 22nd Feb 2018. RP has a heated argument with GP and kills her. IMO.
  • Decides to cover up and not report the incident.
  • Starts cleaning scene:
  • 9:00 BM from the school calls RP and NP asking for GP whereabouts.
  • 9:10am schools calls RP work asking for him.
  • RP Panics and goes to the school.
  • 10:00am Then goes to work, seen by CV. Biometric reader also records time of arrival.
  • Leaves work to "look" for GP. Probable at 22 Riesling Rd covering up. Cellphone puts him in that area.
  • 12:23 RP asks JvR to cover for him (at work from 8:30.)
  • Shortly after 2pm Mr Gray observes GP's BMW near Lucius Way. This road is around the corner from RP's house. There is also a park and an open ground. Perhaps he was going to leave the car there.
  • Leaves that site, followed by Mr Gray. East on Boundary, L into Kendal (picked up by CCTV). L into Myburgh. He would have to make a right thereafter (Myburgh road is a cul-de-sac). He would then have to go into Main Street and back to Kendall Rd. Very close to the Diep River Police Station.
  • From this point to the site where the BMW was seen near the Diep River Train Station is less than 1km.
  • From the burnt BMW site back to his house is 2km's. Easily walked in 30 minutes.
  • I believe he abandoned the BMW, probable hoping it would be stolen.
  • He then walks back to the house, and pretends to look for his wife.
  • A witness saw the car without number plates that afternoon, later that evening her daughter reported it, as it was on fire. Police yet to confirm identity of body found in abandoned burning car
  • RP must have gone back to the scene, hoping the car would be gone. It wasn't so he set it alight. A witness saw a white male running away from the scene and driving off.
If he was searching for his wife at Kalk Bay, Hout Bay and other tourist sites, he and his Audi Q5 would have been picked up by CCTV cameras. Why has he not looked for this evidence to proof his innocence?

What a waste of a beautiful life and family. Probable use all his savings, pension funds and proceeds from house to save his bacon.
"What a chop!"
 
Manny8171 said:
So if I understand the sequence of events correctly. I apologise for the long post.
  • Probable before 8am on the 22nd Feb 2018. RP has a heated argument with GP and kills her. IMO.
  • Decides to cover up and not report the incident.
  • Starts cleaning scene:
  • 9:00 BM from the school calls RP and NP asking for GP whereabouts.
  • 9:10am schools calls RP work asking for him.
  • RP Panics and goes to the school.
  • 10:00am Then goes to work, seen by CV. Biometric reader also records time of arrival.
  • Leaves work to "look" for GP. Probable at 22 Riesling Rd covering up. Cellphone puts him in that area.
  • 12:23 RP asks JvR to cover for him (at work from 8:30.)
  • Shortly after 2pm Mr Gray observes GP's BMW near Lucius Way. This road is around the corner from RP's house. There is also a park and an open ground. Perhaps he was going to leave the car there.
  • Leaves that site, followed by Mr Gray. East on Boundary, L into Kendal (picked up by CCTV). L into Myburgh. He would have to make a right thereafter (Myburgh road is a cul-de-sac). He would then have to go into Main Street and back to Kendall Rd. Very close to the Diep River Police Station.
  • From this point to the site where the BMW was seen near the Diep River Train Station is less than 1km.
  • From the burnt BMW site back to his house is 2km's. Easily walked in 30 minutes.
  • I believe he abandoned the BMW, probable hoping it would be stolen.
  • He then walks back to the house, and pretends to look for his wife.
  • A witness saw the car without number plates that afternoon, later that evening her daughter reported it, as it was on fire. Police yet to confirm identity of body found in abandoned burning car
  • RP must have gone back to the scene, hoping the car would be gone. It wasn't so he set it alight. A witness saw a white male running away from the scene and driving off.
If he was searching for his wife at Kalk Bay, Hout Bay and other tourist sites, he and his Audi Q5 would have been picked up by CCTV cameras. Why has he not looked for this evidence to proof his innocence?

What a waste of a beautiful life and family. Probable use all his savings, pension funds and proceeds from house to save his bacon.
"What a chop!"
Click to expand...
Great summary, Manny! Thanks!!
 
Lance Govender is the State's next witness. He and another witness Keenen Thomas are friends. He had been visiting Thomas at his home in Diep River on the night #Packham's burning car was discovered.

Govender says he and Thomas had been playing video games when at 9:30pm they heard Thomas's dogs barking. They went to check as Govender's car was parked outside.

While standing on the stoep, it "sounded like someone was running at the back of the house", Govender says. Thomas sent the dogs to the back and when the two followed, they saw smoke coming from just outside his yard.

Govender says they called the fire brigade and when they went to check on what was alight, they saw it was a car. The two friends were the first ones at the scene.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
Thomas was wearing sandals and went back inside to put on shoes. Govender stood and watched the car. Both later saw there was another car parked to their left - a white SUV with its headlights and interior light on. The left passenger side window was down.

Govender says to him, the car looked like an Audi. Thomas walked towards the man while Govender went towards the burning vehicle. Thomas shouted "hello" and the driver drove off.

When the man drove off, Govender said it was weird that he had done that. He asked Thomas if he had seen the plates, and Thomas said he had caught some of it - three numbers.

Cross-examination.
Govender says he saw the police arrive as well as fire and rescue services "much later". He left after giving his statement to police that he had heard someone running away. He gave an affidavit to police in April last year.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
Govender is excused. His friend Kenen Thomas is the next witness. He says Govender arrived at about 8pm to help him with his laptop and then they played games. While doing so, the dogs started barking and Govender heard someone running.

Thomas called his dogs to "fetch" in case there was someone there and they followed. They went to the back and saw smoke. He called to his mother the field was on fire. They went out the front gate.

Thomas returned to put on his shoes and told his mother who was on the phone that it was a car on fire. When they went back out, he saw a white SUV through the trees. He called "hello" because he thought he may have phoned emergency services.

Thomas says the driver's window was down and the man was in the driver's seat. He thought the man may have phoned the police. The car drove toward him and he thought the man was going to tell him what was going on. He waited under the lamppost.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
Thomas says they looked at each other but the driver kept going. They were about a metre apart as Thomas stood on the pavement. CA 724 is what he remembers of the number plate.

The driver was wearing a cap, clean shaven with an aggressive look on his face, "like someone who was angry". Light of complexion, mixed between white and coloured. Thomas thinks the man was thinner than he is - "I'm not a small person".

April 13 2018, Thomas attended a photo ID parade at Hout Bay police station. He pointed out the man because he looked exactly the same as the driver he saw that night.

Thomas selected #Packham in the photos as the man he saw that night. He points him out in the dock. The man is wearing glasses now, but wasn't that night, Thomas says.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
Cross-examination.
Thomas testifies that he has good eyesight and only wears specs when on a PC. Day after fire, he went to SAPS to make a statement on what he had seen.

Thomas in his statement said the commotion happened at about 20:30. He says he stated that he wasn't sure of the exact time.

Adv Webster repeats what he saw while under the lamppost. Vehicle had been moving, but he can't recall how fast. He saw enough of the face to be able to describe it.

Webster says Thomas told police he saw a coloured male, 30-35 years old. Thomas maintains he said a mix between coloured and white.

Team News24 (@TeamNews24) | Twitter
 
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