South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #4

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Really? said:
Holy cow......it is a good day to check back in.
Click to expand...

Sure is. I just had to take a break from it all after Olckers, and had no idea when I checked back in tonight that HvB would be testifying.

I still have six or seven pages to catch up on, and just want to say to all those of you who were "holding the fort" during that time, thank you all so very much - you're amazing!! :bowdown:

:gthanks:
 
In my opinion the reason why his evidence has been so short is the less he says, the less chance he has of contradicting anything he said in his two statements.

It's not as though it happened 10 years ago, and yet he showed no emotion at all in recalling the events of that night. Here's hoping Galloway totally annihilates him tomorrow.
 
Did not his uncle say he was in tracksuit bottoms and a T shirt when he saw him. At what stage did he get those - anyone know? I cannot remember and did we learn whether the doctor said what he was/was not wearing?
 
Interested Bystander said:
Did not his uncle say he was in tracksuit bottoms and a T shirt when he saw him. At what stage did he get those - anyone know? I cannot remember and did we learn whether the doctor said what he was/was not wearing?
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Was there something about Marli's boyfriend's mother bringing clothes at some stage? Can't recall. Or his aunt?
 
L2L said:
Was there something about Marli's boyfriend's mother bringing clothes at some stage? Can't recall. Or his aunt?
Click to expand...

That was my recollection too - James' mother.
 
Court resumes. Asked about neighbour Mrs Opt'hof's testimony that she heard angry voices that night. No such argument.

Says when he pushed assailant away, he saw Rudi flailing and moving around on the bed, making gurgling sounds.

#Van Breda told version to Col Benecke, was asked numerous questions. Would invite an officer, 'this guy needs to hear your story as well'.

#VanBreda says Col Benecke told him Marli was awake and speaking. In Benecke's office for more than an hour. Invited Sgt Malan in.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
#VanBreda scanned through the typed version and signed it. Says the statement in evidence is not verbatim, as Malan claimed. Various typos.

#VanBreda says at that point he hadn't slept since Sunday night. Hadn't eaten; Malan gave him sandwich, clothes when returned with statement.

Adv Botha says minor discrepancies between his statement and plea explanation. #VanBreda says obvious statement wasn't entirely correct.

#VanBreda says he mentioned to Col Benecke that there was more than 1 attacker, not one as in his statement. Signed because wanted to leave.

"Traumatising experience", didn't want to retell. Didn't know it would be used this way. Wouldn't have signed without legal rep.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

They all returned to James' home after he was released.
 
James Reade-Jahn, his father and another friend were waiting for him. Went to their house in Somerset West.

"It was very emotional", he said of his reunion with his uncle and aunt, who were at the house.

[But not emotional seeing his family slaughtered :puke: ]

His aunt looked at wound and said it needed stitches. Mr Reade-Jahn took him to Mediclinic. He had had a beer while at the house.

He was still in shock, hands shaking. #VanBreda thinks they gave him the beer to calm him down.

After going to Mediclinic, returned to Reade-Jahn house. Police arrived and took #VanBreda back to hospital. Remembers Sgt Adams.

Reade-Jahns had also given him a tranquiliser.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
Disagrees with doctor saying he was almost jovial during first visit. Agrees he was more quiet when he returned.

Henri #VanBreda says he doesn't recognise the axe used in the murders.

Doesn't dispute that their domestic worker said she recognised it

Did you kill your father, brother, mother with an axe, Botha asks. No, #VanBreda says. Attack your sister with an axe? No, he says.

#VanBreda says he had no reason to attack them. Also, denies tampering with the crime scene by hitting wall with the axe.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
Blood in shower: #VanBreda says could be from when he shaved in shower. Attempt to wash any blood off your body that morning? No, he says.

Asked again why he didn't come to his family's aid. Want to explain? "I wish I could. I wish I did. But I was too scared."

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
#VanBreda says he regularly sees a therapist, started immediately after attacks. Adv Botha has no further questions.

Adv Galloway starts cross examination.
Says #VanBreda hasn't stuttered. Adv Botha objects, says he did.

#VanBreda says he can't recall having stuttered. He says he has been trying hard not to. Galloway says she heard "um" but didn't pick it up.

Adv Galloway asks if it's in essence the same as what he told the police.
Correct, #VanBreda says. Same as his police statement. Correct.

Galloway says he was a victim and/or a witness to serious and violent crime. Correct

Why not testify first?
#VanBreda says he wanted to have his say. Near the end of the case, decided he wanted to testify.

Other people (visitors) at house the night or morning of murders?
No, #VanBreda says. He also confirms he is right handed.

Disagrees that he is the only person alive that can remember what happened. "I have no idea what the attackers' memory is like."

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
Galloway asks about his referring to Marli's feet not being in doorway as in photos. You had access to photos, docket? Yes, says #VanBreda

#VanBreda had access to photos? His legal team gave him access to all documents.
Galloway asks if he had prob looking at photos of scene.

Tried to minimise exposure to the photos. Saw it, didn't enjoy it, #VanBreda says.

Dogs barking unnecessarily an issue at De Zalze, Galloway asks? Yes, #VanBreda says; homes were close together.

Domestic worker said Sasha would bark when she arrived. #VanBreda says she barked in response to noise from metal of the gate.

Sasha was technically Marli #VanBreda's dog. Attached to you and your father? Henri says she has always been a loving dog.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
Numerous doggie beds in #VanBreda house. Sasha was sickly at time of murders. She suffered a "stroke-like event" when they returned from Oz.

Sasha was on medication until she passed away. She was completely deaf. Very disabled while on meds, one week a month.

But she could use doggie door? #VanBreda says it wasn't that she couldn't get up stairs, but had been seen falling down. Precautionary.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
Galloway says #VanBreda family felt comfortable enough with what was happening in house to not grab a gown? Middle of summer, he says.

Galloway asks about security at De Zalze. We felt safe enough to never lock the back door, #VanBreda says. Galloway says windows also open.

No burglar bars or security gates. Keys attached by rope to the door.

Galloway asks about past criminal incidents at De Zalze. #VanBreda says he had no prior knowledge of any activity at De Zalze, nor upgrades.

#VanBreda confirms nothing taken that he is aware of. He "has no info" to counter De Zalze had no real alarms that night.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
Nothing suspicious noted by security that night. #VanBreda says he doesn't dispute that; was surprised only 2 officers on duty that night.

Galloway says nothing seen on security cameras either. So you still say more than one person got onto the Estate? Correct, #VanBreda says.

Comment on Mrs Taljaard who didn't hear anyone run away? #VanBreda says he doesnt dispute that. He, too, didn't hear people running away.

Galloway: 2 or more people entered De Zalze without tripping fence, implying the went through a lot of trouble to get there.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
VanBreda house in middle of De Zalze. Got there undetected, Galloway says. Back door open - easy access. Don't remove valuable property?

Galloway says they then fled and escaped without being detected? #VanBreda says if they came through the fence, then yes.

Are you implying someone was given a key and might have used it to gain access? #VanBreda says this is a reasonable possibility.

Court adjourns until 10am tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24
 
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