Kimberley - The murder of the Steenkamp family and the rape of the girl victim are linked, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.
“The State will argue these two separate incidents are linked with each other,” prosecutor Hannes Cloete told the 17-year-old accused in the matter.
Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in the trial of the boy, accused of killing Griquatown farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14. They were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012. The boy is also accused of raping the girl and lying to the police.
“We would argue that evidence shows that you are responsible for the murders,” Cloete told the boy at the end of the State’s cross-examination.
“What is your reaction? Is it so or is it not so?”
The boy denied the submission.
Summing up his cross-examination, Cloete said it was a fact there was no indication that another person, except the boy, could have committed the crimes.
“It was not me. There must have been somebody else,” the boy replied.
Cloete told the boy the State had given him a fair chance to explain his story.
“You have not used any of the opportunities. Not one aspect of your testimony was satisfactory.”
The State alleged nothing the boy told the court was truthful.
Cloete said the way the boy answered the State's questions was also worrying.
The trial continues.
Sapa