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

[JudgeJudi]

People said they had heard a car speeding; there were no complaints reported the night. Suspect it could be the person who delivers the newspapers.

Any noise or incidents would be reported by residents - there is an emergency number for residents to call. No reports from that night.

[I wonder if the emergency number was on the fridge]

Rossouw says there was nothing in their records of that night indicating anything suspicious.

Rossouw worked at Spier for 14 years as a risk manager.

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

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Okay, so will the defence be satisfied with the answers provided? Nope, obviously not.

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 4m4 minutes ago

State adv Galloway takes her seat. Defence Adv. Botha now begins cross examination of Rossouw. Botha jumps straight into technical question regarding electric fence. Botha explaining to witness how the electric fence works. Bipolar system. Zig zag wire setup. Rossouw agrees with Botha but it's obvious she is not one hundred percent clued up on this.
court adjourned for tea in the middle of cross examination. Will be interesting to see where defence is going with electric fence.
@TimesLIVE

 

[JudgeJudi]

Rossouw now being cross examined by Adv Pieter Botha.

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

 

[JudgeJudi]

When two wires touch - one earth, one live - the alarm is activated

Tammy Petersen ‎@TammyPetersen87
Rossouw says four fence activations at De Zalze on night of murders not "true" activations - it was triggered due to a power drop

Tammy Petersen ‎@TammyPetersen87
After #VanBreda incident report, every centimetre of fence inspected for signs of entry. Cameras checked. Nothing suspicious found - Rossouw

Activations would be seen by control room in Parow, contacts the security officer who then checks what caused the activation. It remains on until reset once it's resolved.

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

 

[JudgeJudi]

Rossouw concedes that entry is possible if someone activates fence - with a branch, for example - at a zone, and enters at the already activated fence and runs into the property, alarm would be triggered.

She adds that the camera would however pick up if a person had breached the fence.

Botha points out camera would need light to spot a person on the footage.

[At the moment this is sounding just desperate]

Spier connecting gate also has a camera, but also a light. Airfield gate also has a camera needing light, which there was, Rossouw says.

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

 

[JudgeJudi]

At the Eskom gate there was no camera, Rossouw says. Whole fence now covered by cameras after 2015.

Botha asks about the anti-dig foundation, says large sections of the fence don't have it. Still is that way, Rossouw says.

Judge Desai asks if it would be possible to dig a tunnel. Rossouw says one would have seen signs of this. There were no signs of this, nor footprints, damage or wires being cut.

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

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 31m31 minutes ago

welcome back! Cross examination of De Zalze Estate security manager continues in CT High Court.
defence adv Botha now argues that if he was an intruder, he would set off alarm with a branch then jump over fence so that when...security arrives to check the fence, they wouldn't suspect an intruder as they would see the branch against fence.
Rossouw agreed that that is possible but says cameras would record any intruder jumping over fence.
Botha now turning to cameras in Estate. Running through locations of all cameras in estate. Botha reminds Rossouw of inspection of De Zalza Estate.Botha says there are parts of fence that do not have anti-dig protection.
rossouw agreed but says that they would have found signs of digging or foot steps when they did their inspection after murders. defence argues that you wouldn't have to dig as there were areas which were fixed with rocks and they could be moved.
Rossouw states that there is a possibility that these rocks could have been moved & someone could've crawled under fence...But Rossouw states that the intruder would very likely get shocked by fence&then they would have to put rocks back afterwards.
Judge Desai states that would be a 'long story' to do all that to get into estate.


@TimesLIVE

 

[JudgeJudi]

Botha asks about a hole being made and covered with a rock. Rossouw says the person would have to dig deep, and there was the possibility that he would get shocked.

Botha says he planned to show the court evidence of rocks being used to cover holes in the fence.

Botha says according to a report by Thorburn Security surrounding security concerns in 2012, former security manager Jaco Pietersen said areas flagged as problematic were still there when Rossouw took over in 2014.

Among these are worries about pedestrian access into and out of estate; since then, Rossouw says, domestics and gardeners could decide on whether they want to walk or drive in with taxis; contractors and employees may not walk on the estate, and were to be transported instead.

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

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 6m6 minutes ago @TimesLIVE

an estimated 75% of De Zalze fence is under CCTV surveillance. Can take responder 5-8 mins to get to fence alarm. Rossouw states that with two responders or security, the response time is usually 4 minutes.

Rossouw states that since February 2014, when she took over, they had already started fixing security shortcomings.
Botha reiterated that the extra cameras installed in estate only happened after murders. Rossouw agrees.

 

[JudgeJudi]

According to report, about 35% of the fence under CCTV cameras. Vast areas could not be seen by the cameras. The camera system did not change between 2012 and the night of the murders.

The report reads that CCTV camera footage is inadequate, Botha says.

February 2014 the upgrade was planned, Rossouw says. Fence was part of the first phase.

According to report, additional cameras were recommended for one point - zoom cameras could not detect far distances, recommended thermal cameras.

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

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 4m4 minutes ago @TimesLIVE

Botha states in February 2016 a reporter gained access to De Zalze Estate by saying he was going to the Klein De Zalze restaurant. Botha says it was rather easy for the reporter.Rossouw states if you work with human element, it's possible for mistakes to happen
Botha going through a report on a previous house break-in and theft in de zalze estate.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

We can't say Botha and his defence team aren't being thorough! Until they're satisfied that all witnesses agree there's a high chance intruders did enter, this won't end.ullhair:

 

[JudgeJudi]

Bridge across Kleine Zalze onto the estate did not have access control, Botha reads form the report.

Restaurant, winery and wine tasting area is the other side of the bridge

Botha says on one occasion when he visited the estate, he saw a unmarked vehicle with member of press taking photos of the house. The reporter had said he was going to the restaurant and had gone to the estate where he had taken photos of the house instead.

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

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 5m5 minutes ago

Botha states no photograph on access cards of residents. With that, court is adjourned for lunch. Check in at 14:15 to follow more

@TimesLIVE

 

[JudgeJudi]

Botha refers to past burglary and theft at Kleine Zalze; access was gained by breaching the fence near river entry point. Spotlights and an extra guard were recommended. Rossouw says these were not in place in January 2015. She says there was an optic camera.

Court breaks for lunch.

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

 

[JudgeJudi]

Anthony Molyneaux‏ @AJGMolyneaux 5m5 minutes ago

Botha states no photograph on access cards of residents. With that, court is adjourned for lunch. Check in at 14:15 to follow more

@TimesLIVE

Are there many black African residents in this very exclusive estate?

 

[JudgeJudi]

I’m unsure where Botha is going with this line of questioning. He talks of the possibility of the attacker crossing the river, digging underneath the anti-dig concrete block below the fence and the Judge asks if it was possible to dig a tunnel underneath the fence. None of these methods of entry would require a photo access card. 

He then talks of there being no photograph of residents on access the cards. That presupposes that the black African attacker drove in, so he would obviously not have had a Colombo sort of car now would he?

At the moment the whole thing sounds fantastical. From Prime's last sentence above, it doesn't sound like Desai is buying this story to me.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Previous days' issues starting all over again.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Are there many black African residents in this very exclusive estate?

Good question. We might learn the answer if the neighbours are witnesses like in the OP trial. The houses are very close together in Goske St. Again, there will be witness/es who heard sounds, voices, arguments. Will they be deemed credible or fanciful, mistaken, outright liars? It will be interesting to say the least.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I’m unsure where Botha is going with this line of questioning. He talks of the possibility of the attacker crossing the river, digging underneath the anti-dig concrete block below the fence and the Judge asks if it was possible to dig a tunnel underneath the fence. None of these methods of entry would require a photo access card. 

He then talks of there being no photograph of residents on access the cards. That presupposes that the black African attacker drove in, so he would obviously not have had a Colombo sort of car now would he?

At the moment the whole thing sounds fantastical. From Prime's last sentence above, it doesn't sound like Desai is buying this story to me.

Judge Desai states that would be a 'long story' to do all that to get into estate.

Botha maybe suggesting each intruder used a different method to gain entry and met up at the Van Breda house or garden shed?! If there's no garden shed, no need for an axe, why did the Van Breda's have an axe? The clincher will be if there is a record of who purchased the axe.