Johannesburg - A State witness's version of what happened in a 2008 road accident in which Maria Barnard died was questioned on Wednesday by the attorney of Carl Pistorius, brother of murder accused Oscar Pistorius.
“The real evidence shows that your verbal evidence is improbable,” Kenny Oldwadge put it to motorbiker Anton Coetzee in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court.
Coetzee responded: “I hear what you are saying, but I cannot agree.”
Oldwadge: “Why is it so hard to concede that you are wrong? Mr Coetzee do you confirm that this [photographic evidence] does not support your evidence?”
Coetzee conceded it did.
Oldwadge presented the court with photographs of the accident scene taken days after Pistorius' bakkie and Barnard's motorbike collided in 2008.
Coetzee recalled the events that led to the accident on March 27, saying there was nothing Barnard could do to avoid bumping into Pistorius who had “suddenly swerved”.
He said the bakkie was halfway over the white middle-lane and the bike hit the bakkie's tail-light.
Oldwadge put it to Coetzee that according to police and the photograph, the skidmark from the motorbike was 18.3 metres long, showing that Barnard did try to brake.
He said this contradicted Coetzee's version that the accident happened too fast and that there was nothing Barnard could do.
Oldwadge accused Coetzee of being selective in giving evidence, pre-empting, and being dishonest.
“Mr Coetzee, you are toying with my client's liberties, you are under oath.”
Coetzee said he would not comment when Oldwadge put it to him that the motorbike was travelling “at no less than 147km/h”.
Pistorius, dressed in a black suit, sat in the dock occasionally making notes, looking at his phone, and at the photographic evidence on the white board.
Henke Pistorius, father of Carl and Oscar, was present in court.
His sister Aimee, accompanied by other family members, arrived shortly after 9.25am. They sat in the front row with family members and friends in the second and third row.
The court was not as full as it was at his previous appearance, with more benches being brought in to make space for journalists and family members. - Sapa