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

[PrimeSuspect]

Having caught up, it seems to me that HvB is expecting Desai to believe his ludicrous explanations and protestations that the police did not take down an accurate record of his interviews. Whilst attempting to portray himself as an adult, sophisticated young man HvB projects rather like a 10 year old when attempting to get out of a scrape by obfuscating.

Well said, this describes HvB to a tee! I think he's so encouraged by Botha and Combrink's belief in him, 'the little boy lost', he expects the Judge and Galloway to believe it too!

 

[JudgeJudi]

Well said, this describes HvB to a tee! I think he's so encouraged by Botha and Combrink's belief in him, 'the little boy lost', he expects the Judge and Galloway to believe it too!

I have a different view. I don't believe Botha and Combrink believe him any more than we do, but it's their job to defend him and they're being paid well to do so. No-one on this forum buys his story so why would they. They're used to defending murderers and it must be even more obvious to them than it is to us how pathetic his story is.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I have a different view. I don't believe Botha and Combrink believe him any more than we do, but it's their job to defend him and they're being paid well to do so. No-one on this forum buys his story so why would they. They're used to defending murderers and it must be even more obvious to them than it is to us how pathetic his story is.

LOL Maybe, they're humouring him. HvB must be deluded!

 

[JudgeJudi]

Court resumes. Galloway asks if any lights on ground floor on, besides study? Not that he knew of. Upstairs only boys room.

He would have seen if intruders were there as there was enough light for him to still find his way around, #VanBreda said.

Only sign of other possible attackers in house were voices #VanBreda heard. Two different tones. One person saying something, then response.

Detectives noted that house was very neat, didn't resemble a house where there had been a break-in or robbery.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

Judge Desai returns and Advocate Galloway continues her cross examination of Henri

G: excluding the study any other lights on downstairs? H: No G: Upstairs excluding the boys' room any other lights on? H: no

G: given the lighting would u have been able to see them downstairs?H: I think so, enough light for me not to struggle to find way

G: the voices u heard were harsh and u couldnt discern if they were afrikaans H: yes and two different tones I assumed 2 people

Desai: could he have been muttering to himself? H: if he was speaking in two different voices perhaps

G: if there was any other attackers on the ground floor do u know what they did on the ground floor? H: no

G: detectives were of view the house downstairs was very neat didnt look like there had been an intrusion

H: one small thing I notice moms handbag was open which it usually wouldnt be but not 100% sure it was closed before went to bed

Desai: but nothing was missing? H: I believe so

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

Desai: the police found the scene very neat, do u agree with them? H: well I havent been exposed to other crime scenes

H: from photos it didnt look burglarised

Desai: police said the scene was neat?
G: indeed my lord
H: I agree with that

G: what captain Steyn testified and said he was called out because of mention of balaclava person having committed crime

G: he was called out to see if scene fit in with the way balaclava gang execute crimes and he said he spoke with u that morning

H: I dont dispute, when he gave his evidence I was trying to remember when exactly we spoke, I cant specifically remember when

H: I was asked questions by first police officers while sitting outside the house

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

G: do u remember telling officer ur version whilst in ambulance? H: yes I have vague recollection of telling an officer

G: while outside the house u said a member of police brought Sasha your dog to you? Where was sasha during the incident?

H: I don't know and I cannot recall hearing her barking prior to losing consciousness

G: would it be probable for her to not bark when their are strangers in the house? H: yes she was not a good guard dog

G so she would bark at Precious who she knows but not at strangers in the house at night

H: yes she would react to familiar sounds, she was not a dog ever exposed to any danger

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

G: but the danger was downstairs- was it not strange she didnt bark at people entering the house downstairs

H: she reacted to Precious coming in not out of fear, it was familiarity and excitement

G: At no stage during the attacks on ur family did the attacker call out for help? H: No

(Good point, why didn't the attacker call to his friends to help him if HvB is winning the fight)

 

[Interested Bystander]

The only two voices HvB heard were his mum and sister asking what was going on in Afrikaans. He seems to have conveniently transposed these into two male voices to create some sort of feeble alibi. I am looking forward to Galloway raising her voice in disbelief at some of his stories. She seems to be going gently with him at the moment, as does Desai, almost humouring him although it is quite clear neither believe his childish fabrications.

 

[JudgeJudi]

His mother's bag was usually closed, #VanBreda says. Photos show it was open that morning. Concedes house didn't look burgled.

Where was Sasha the dog during the incident? #VanBreda: I don't know. He doesn't recall hearing Sasha bark.

#VanBreda says Sasha was the opposite of a guard dog. She wouldn't bark at strange noises, but would if the phone rang.

[What? Bark when the phone rang? He previously said she was deaf. Next thing you know he’ll say she was only deaf the one week in a month that she was on medication.]

Judge Desai jokes that Sasha was a comfortable middle-class dog. #VanBreda agrees.

VanBreda says Sasha barked at Precious Munyongani not because scared, but because the domestic worker played with her.

Attacker never called out for help, even when Martin walked in during the attack on Rudi

Galloway asks if someone could have cleaned out their house and #VanBreda family upstairs would have been none the wiser. Yes, he says.

[URL]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

G: Now he is attacking Rudi and your father arrives and you screaming from behind he doesnt say come help me there is more than 1

H: no he didnt

G: isn't it strange then that they go through all the trouble to get inside the house take out almost the whole family

G: except for you and then leave without grabbing a phone or handbag

H: but they could have been interrupted? G: no signs of interruption

B: not true, she can argue that but there is evidence of a cupboard door being open

G: is there any way that you can say that the cupboard door and drawers in your fathers study were not like that b4 u went to bed

H: I cannot categorically say it I wasnt in his office before I went to bed but I would find it strange to find cupboards open

G: it doesnt seem as if the contents of drawers are in disarray or scratched around H: I don't dispute that

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

G: so besides the drawers, cupboards and the bag being open- nothing appears to show that anything was interrupted downstairs? H: no

G: u didnt see the attackers exit your house?
H: no
G: did u check how they got into the house?
H:I was wholly unconcerned with

how they got inside the house and assumed the backdoor as it was open

Desai: ur family chose a security estate, presumably paid alot of money to stay there, that breach resulted in death of ur parents

Desai: did that breach not result in concerns? Its a breach with serious consequences H: correct

 

[JudgeJudi]

Cupboard doors in study open, but nothing in disarray, Galloway says. #VanBreda accepts that. Also kitchen drawers and handbag open.

Did you walk towards study where lights were on? No, #VanBreda says. Check scullery? No. Check garage? No.

Didn't check house for assailants? Weren't you scared they would still be there? No, I was recovering from large amount of trauma.

Adjourned until Monday.

[url]https://twitter.com/TeamNews24[/URL]

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

G: did u walk towards the study where u saw the light was on to see if anyone was there? H: No

G: did u check the pantry to see if anyone was there? H: No

G: did u check the garage? H: no I didn't check the garage

G: so u were satisfied just because the door was open they all ran away H: I was at the time yes

G: so as far as u were aware they could have still been in the house? H: yes

H: there is numerous spots in the house where they could have been, I didn't check

G: so when u were walking up the stairs they very easily could have come from behind and attacked u? H yes

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

G: were u scared at that time?
H: yes
G: were u scared they might still be there?
H: no I was comfortable they had left

H: I then thought the next pertinent thing to do is to get help

Court adjourns till 10am on Monday

 

[Interested Bystander]

Galloway and Desai making HvB look stupid but he seems not to realise - or maybe he is acting.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Panayiotou guilty of murder

 

[Interested Bystander]

Thank you again JJ and Prime. SA court days are sooo short. Not surprising they have prisons full of people awaiting their turn.

 

[Interested Bystander]

panayiotou guilty of murder

Great. Thanks JJ.

 

[Fluffykins]

Thanks for sharing Fluffykins, sometimes these cases can bring up situations we've personally encountered.
I feel the saddest for Rudi too! He seemed to be the obedient son, the diligent student, a good friend and maybe, it all got a bit much, he said some harsh home truths to HvB that night.
Rudi hadn't got to spread his wings and HvB's jealousy and pure hatred put an end to it all!

Thank you Prime, yes, I agree completely that it was very likely Rudi was the obedient son, the "good example" which Henri resented being judged against, and didn't see why he should have to try to live up to Rudi's example.

The one thing where I think Henri is telling the truth is in the sequence of the murders. I think, as you suggested, Rudi probably hit him with some home truths that enraged him, he got the axe and was attacking Rudi with it when Martin rushed in to help ... and so it went. We do know Rudi wasn't on his laptop. He was probably just trying to talk some sense into his prat of a brother.