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

[JudgeJudi]

The advocate defending triple murder accused Henri van Breda says criminals labelled the Balaclava Gang have been targeting Stellenbosch homes around the same time as the van Breda's were killed.

http://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/...ld-have-targeted-van-breda-family-court-hears

 

[JudgeJudi]

More than a month after the murders, the three paramedics who treated Marli and declared Martin, Teresa and Rudi dead on the scene had still not returned to work. They were severely traumatised by what they discovered in the house and were still receiving counselling, according to colleagues, who said the scene was one of the bloodiest they had ever seen.

Family spokesman Ben Rootman said Henri was living with an uncle in Stellenbosch and was receiving counselling.

He said Henri was being “monitored”, but wouldn’t say why.

http://www.news.com.au/world/axe-ki...n/news-story/158657a1a63655a15698376847df7dc8

 

[Interested Bystander]

I have just been reading about various balaclava gangs in South Africa. It seems they are burglars and in most break-ins the owners are not hurt but theft is always involved. Also, interestingly, they tend to prefer guns to knives and I haven't come across one where an axe was used. The HVB story really doesn't seem to follow the norm for "balaclava gang" type break-in.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Cape Town - Photographed for the first time, this is the axe that killed Henri van Breda’s mother, father and brother and almost took the life of his sister, Marli.
......
Some photographs are of cloths and a mophead on the washing line, which were later bagged. Count five of the indictment accuses Henri of tampering with the crime scene.

There are also photos of blue-black shoe prints enhanced with Amido black, an amino acid-staining dye that can be used to detect bloody footprints that have been cleaned off a tile floor.

http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/vanbredatrial-first-photo-of-murder-weapon-8995028

A brand new axe bought for a certain task? Where was it kept, you would think in a tool shed. The intruders first accessed the shed before entering home? Was it kept/hidden in the house? So many questions, I wonder how many will truthfully be answered.

Note that either HvB or the 'intruders' mopped the tiles to remove shoe prints. If it's established those prints belong to HvB, it will be interesting how the defence will handle this.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Perhaps the most left field photo is one of the toilet bowl with faeces floating in the water. Seemingly, this is where Van Breda claims in his plea statement, "I had to move my bowls (sic)".

https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-independent-on-saturday/20170506/281633895146400

This part of HvB's statement is true, the question is the time frame, was it before or after the attack? Did he use another toilet in those hours after the attack?

 

[JudgeJudi]

If the report is correct, I think it would be the nail in the coffin for HVB, so to speak. I suppose he will claim the intruder dropped it and the mobile will not be assigned to anyone or possibly previously stolen. Hopefully fingerprints will be found on it, although it may have been cleaned or gloves (surgical type) used. HVB has been charged with premeditation - this may be the reason why.

Fingerprints on the phone would be completely irrelevant. The call charge records alone will prove whose phone it was. If the phone was wiped by anyone, the ISP can state that, just as they did with OP. While they won't be able to state who wiped it, they can certainly say when it was wiped. HvB was in the toilet when the attack commenced and he witnessed Rudi being hit “with something”. Why would an attacker search information on axe murders after the murders. The phone was not removed from the crime scene.

 

[JudgeJudi]

https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-independent-on-saturday/20170506/281633895146400

This part of HvB's statement is true, the question is the time frame, was it before or after the attack? Did he use another toilet in those hours after the attack?

Oh, probably both because he's full of it.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

oh, probably both because he's full of it.

lol JJ

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 5m5 minutes ago
More
Good morning! The Henri #vanbreda triple murder trial kicks off this week with security footage from De Zalze Estate.

And the day kicks off with Dr Zalze Estate security manager taking the stand.

security manager states that when she took over in 2014, security measures needed improvement.

@TimesLIVE



Aarti Narsee‏ @ajnarsee 4m4 minutes ago

State calls witness no 80, Marcia Rossouw, security manager at the Estate #VanBreda #eNCA

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 3m3 minutes ago

security manager, Marcia Rossouw, speaks about improvements they did to security in 2014.More cameras, fixing fences.

Rossouw is now going through an aerial map where she points out cameras in the estate. The 3 entry gates all have cameras.

Rossouw now speaks about thermal cameras. These cameras are important as they would be able to pick up heat (body temperature).



@TimesLIVE

 

[JudgeJudi]

May 8

De Zalze Estate security manager Marcia Rossouw takes to the stand. She is witness number 80 on the list.

Rossouw started working at De Zalze in February 2014. She confirms she knows Jaco Pietersen, the former security manager. There were improvements necessary when she took over, Rossouw said.

The estate's electric fence was upgraded in 2014. Additional cameras were implemented after 2015. The improvements were not as a result of the murders, she said.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-day-7-of-the-van-breda-triple-axe-murder-trial-20170508

 

[JudgeJudi]

At the time of the murders, there were optic cameras at all the gates as well as at strategic areas. One could turn 360 degrees and another could zoom in up to 800m. Cameras were at contractors' gate, the Kleine Zalze gate and the main gate.

An optic camera was also situated at the river which enters the estate.

An infra-red camera also pointed at the river. Intercoms at all three gates, as well as the Spier and airfield gates.

There were two security routes - one inside the estate and the other along the perimeter.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...trial-20170508

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 20s20 seconds ago

Rossouw states that responder and security supervisor working the night of the murders did their patrols correctly.

now we are getting to the important part. Rossouw describing what happens when fence alarm goes off.

Rossouw: responder and supervisor cannot turn off fence alarm - security HQ in Parow are the only ones who can switch alarm off.

VanBreda family home is relatively in the middle of the estate.

@TimesLIVE

 

[JudgeJudi]

Hands over a report on its bloodhound patrols - a security officer gets to an area, clocks the point and it registers the time in which the patrol was done.

According to the patrol report of that night, the security officers completed their patrols as is required.

Rossouw says a responder would be sent out if the system is triggered. An electronic system will remain activated until the issue is resolved. It cannot be deactivated without responding.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...trial-20170508

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 4m4 minutes ago

Rossouw going through surrounding properties of estate. 3 bordering areas are private property-protea hotel,farms,technopark.
Rossouw: the 4th estate border is municipal land.

Rossouw: barbed wire, security lights and fencing where the river flowed into De Zalze estate in 2015.

Rossouw says when the murders happened, police arrived at a high speed at the estate gates. Rossouw was working when they arrived.

Rossouw sent inspector to investigate if anyone entered estate the night of murders.Also checked electronic tag record & footage.
now checking report on electronic tags entering estate and alarms that went off.

4 different incidents were reported. Rossouw says that these aren't actually alarms, they are times when electricity drops...

defence adv Botha cuts witness off to say that Rossouw is interpreting what the reason for the alarms could be. Not qualified.
@TimesLIVE

 

[JudgeJudi]

It is a stand alone system.

The Van Breda house was in the middle of the estate. The R44 runs past the estate, adjacent is Protea Hotel/Techno Park, two farms and the airfield as well as a municipal field.

From the river outlet to Van Breda house, over 2km distance. The airfield gate is over a kilometre away.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...trial-20170508

 

[JudgeJudi]

Photos of holes in the boundary fence taken in 2013 being examined. Rossouw says when she took over in 2014, improvements were made to the fence. It was upgraded in September 2014.

Rossouw says she found out about the incident when police sped to the estate's boom gate, saying there was an incident at one of the homes.

A security officer accompanied the officer, and another met them halfway.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...trial-20170508

 

[JudgeJudi]

Rossouw says she immediately requested security officer to inspect every centimetre of the fence to check for signs of entry. Remote monitoring were to check the activations on the system. Camera reports were also requested.

A report from Thorburn Security - De Zalze's security company - now being discussed. It says that according to an interview with the controller, the system was checked for actual activations for the night before and morning of the murders.

Four incidents were confirmed. These were not true alarms, she says. These were followed up on; there was a power drop, means there could later be a problem with the system.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...trial-20170508

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 4m4 minutes ago

State Advance now rephrases question. Rossouw now states that these alarms that went off were not actual alarms which is why......Afrika & Wyngaard (security on duty) did not receive any call from HQ to check alarms.
to elaborate about alarms: Rossouw says these alarms are for dropping of current, not something physically touching fence.
this alarm testimony by Rossouw backs up security guards testimony of them never receiving word of alarms on the night of murders.
now onto the people entering and leaving estate through the manned security gates on the night of the murders.
Rossouw goes through the list of people entering and leaving Dr Zalze Estate (visitors & residents).
Judge asks Rossouw about newspaper delivery in estate. A vehicle drives from house to house to drop off newspapers.
Rossouw states that NO complaint was made on the night of the murders.
Rossouw states that they have checked ALL footage on the night of murders. "There was nothing suspicious or out of ordinary".

@TimesLIVE

 

[JudgeJudi]

Homeowners would sometimes allow others to use their cards, if this is noted, it would be rectified.

Report compiled on all people who entered and exited via the three gates, 18 in total. According to the access card records, the night of the murders all used cards as it should be. Nobody had borrowed out their cards.

Henri's card had in the past been used by someone else, as well as Marli - who seemed to have borrowed it to a friend as well as the friend's mother.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...trial-20170508