South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #1

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 5m5 minutes ago #vanbreda @TimesLIVE

Trial kicks off with the evidence of the camera locations drawn by former De Zalze security guard entered into court.

Yesterday former De Zalze security officer, Lorenzo Afrika, drew the security camera locations on aerial photograph of the estate.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 7m7 minutes ago

Afrika: some of the cameras are thermal, others can pan.Combrink now asks Afrika to draw thermal cameras on aerial photograph...

Afrika: these cameras I have drawn on the photograph is the cameras I had tested in the estate.

Afrika: There are 2 thermal cameras in the estate. Afrika is now indicating in which direction they are facing.
#vanbreda @TimesLIVE

Afrika: I'm not sure how far the cameras can capture. There is only a fixed camera that looks toward the river.

It seems the defense is interested in the area where the river flows into the estate.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I hope live streaming of the trial gets the go ahead, and soon.

 

[JudgeJudi]

News24

Adv Matthys Combrink, for Van Breda, asks Afrika to indicate where the cameras are, and which direction they face.

Afrika indicates the plan in possession of the defense is outdated, and provides them with a more recent version.

Afrika says it's fixed and thermal cameras.

Afrika has indicated which cameras he physically went to test every night. Combrink says he asked him to point out every camera.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Botha might imply it was a revenge attack or something similar because so far there isn't sign of a robbery. :/

The defence are working from the outside to the inside.
If there is no evidence of an intruder such as footprints in the blood or dirt, or evidence of their blood because HvB said he attacked the assailant, it means nothing!

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 8m8 minutes ago

Defense Adv Combrink is asking Afrika about the perimeter of the estate and what structures are neighbouring estate.

Combrink is now handing out photographs of what the perimeter fence and neighbouring fields looked like in 2013.

Combrink now going through the 2013 photographs with Afrika, asking him to point out where they are on the aerial map.

Afrika points out that the 2013 photographs show the area where the river flows into the estate.

Afrika states that on the other side of the river, outside the estate, is all municipal ground.

#vanbreda @timeslive

 

[JudgeJudi]

I hope live streaming of the trial gets the go ahead, and soon.

I hope so too, but the audio quality isn't good. Very high ceilings make the sound echo and I found it difficult to hear in this courtroom.

 

[JudgeJudi]

I'd love to know where this is all going. Is Combrink going to suggest the intruder swam across the river. Nah, that wouldn't work because Afrika says "the fence would be activated as the water and electricity met. Afrika would then respond to the activation".

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 20m20 minutes ago

Afrika now looking at another 2013 photograph of a fence at De Zalze estate.

Some of the 2013 photographs show holes in certain areas of fence near the river due to water damage when the river floods.

Afrika states that these holes were not there when he was working at the estate in 2015 and at the time of the murders.

De Zalze's security is being heavily questioned. Defense asking very detailed questions regarding electric fencing.

Defense asking Afrika about branches touching the electric fence.Combrink going into detail about dry and wet branches.

Combrink getting very detailed regarding anything, including frogs, touching the electric fence and how Afrika handles the alarm.

Court breaks for tea. Will be back at 11:30.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I'd love to know where this is all going. Is Combrink going to suggest the intruder swam across the river. Nah, that wouldn't work because Afrika says "the fence would be activated as the water and electricity met. Afrika would then respond to the activation".

I think this is showing desperation from the defence team.

 

[JudgeJudi]

I agree Prime. Clutching at straws springs to mind.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-day-5-of-the-van-breda-trial-20170503

When activated, he doesn't just drive past the activated zone, he says. He walks there to ensure all is in order.

Court breaks for tea.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 9m9 minutes ago

Henri's uncle is in the gallery. Henri looked up at him and they exchanged a sympathetic smile. Court about to begin.

#vanbreda @timeslive

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I agree Prime. Clutching at straws springs to mind.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-day-5-of-the-van-breda-trial-20170503

When activated, he doesn't just drive past the activated zone, he says. He walks there to ensure all is in order.

Court breaks for tea.

Well, HvB is getting his money's worth, (or should I say the Uncle?)

 

[Interested Bystander]

I'd love to know where this is all going. Is Combrink going to suggest the intruder swam across the river. Nah, that wouldn't work because Afrika says "the fence would be activated as the water and electricity met. Afrika would then respond to the activation".

Not only that, but can you imagine a dripping wet intruder who has probably collected mud on his shoes/clothes entering the house and not making a mark anywhere? Seems as though the Defence are scrubbing around for the most unlikely possibilities. To me, it suggests their case is very weak.


Oops I have just seen JJ and Prime have already posted similar conclusions. Sorry, late to the table this morning.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 5m5 minutes ago

Here are some pictures of what the perimeter of De Zalze Estate around the river looked like in 2013.

#vanbreda @TimesLIVE

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 5m5 minutes ago

More images of perimeter of De Zalze Estate in 2013.Afrika states fence did not look like this in 2015 when murders took place.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Not only that, but can you imagine a dripping wet intruder who has probably collected mud on his shoes/clothes entering the house and not making a mark anywhere? Seems as though the Defence are scrubbing around for the most unlikely possibilities. To me, it suggests their case is very weak.


Oops I have just seen JJ and Prime have already posted similar conclusions. Sorry, late to the table this morning.

Exactly IB! I hadn't thought of that, mud, water dripping and by chance, searched the property in the middle of the night and found a sharpened axe? Phfft!

 

[JudgeJudi]

He patrolled five times around the fence of the estate during his shift. His security vehicle also had a strobe light on it.

Afrika needs to physically go to the clocking point to clock that he had been there.

Drives the vehicle to get there, walks to the system and checks in.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-day-5-of-the-van-breda-trial-20170503

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 4m4 minutes ago

This erosion was caused by flooding of the river which flows into De Zalze Estate. Afrika states that this was fixed by 2015.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 4m4 minutes ago #vanbreda @TimesLIVE

Combrink is taking Afrika through the aerial photographs of the estate.