No evidence on Griquatown cameras

Seen here is the farmhouse at Naauwhoek. Picture: Lizéll Muller

Seen here is the farmhouse at Naauwhoek. Picture: Lizéll Muller

Published Mar 19, 2013

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Kimberley - Security cameras yielded no evidence of a triple murder on a Griquatown farm, the Northern Cape High court heard on Tuesday.

Farmer Joachim Scholtz testified that a camera erected between the Steenkamp farm and Griquatown was not active because it was being moved.

A local farm organisation was at that stage in discussions with Deon Steenkamp to find a place to install the camera near his farm.

Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14, were killed on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.

Judge Frans Kgomo was hearing evidence in the trial of the 16-year-old youth accused of having committed the murders.

Prosecutor Hannes Cloete submitted that the court would still be informed about the cameras and where they were installed.

“Did you asked for (video) material recorded on the night?”

Scholtz confirmed this, but said there was nothing useful to the investigation.

The farmer was also asked about an incident involving the boy, unrelated to the night of the murders.

Scholtz said he knew the Steenkamp family well. He and Deon Steenkamp grew up together. He had known Christel since her marriage to Deon, and had known Marthella from birth.

Scholtz confirmed during cross examination that he and three other people went to clean the house on Saturday, 7 April, the day after the murders.

He said a blood-stained carpet, which was under Marthella’s body, and Deon’s green Jeep jacket, were burned because of the amount of blood on them.

Scholtz said he checked with police investigators before destroying the two items.

Cloete also called State witness Henriette Truter, the manager of a restaurant across the street from the Griekwastad police station. Truter testified she was drinking coffee on the verandah around 6pm on the night of the murders.

There was nobody in the restaurant when a white double-cab bakkie stopped in front of the police station and a boy got out and ran inside.

The boy shouted that there had been a shooting and that police should come. - Sapa

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