Kimberley - The appeal against the conviction and sentencing of Don Steenkamp, who was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for the murder of his parents and sister in Griquatown, will be heard in the Northern Cape High Court on March 9 next year.
A full panel of three judges will hear the appeal.
Steenkamp’s lawyer, Riaan Bode, confirmed on Friday that the appeal date had been set for March 9, 2015.
Only one day has been set aside for the appeal hearing. The heads of argument for both the defence and the State will be submitted long before the date so all parties will have an opportunity to peruse the documents before the time.
Normally in appeal cases, judgment is reserved.
This means that the outcome of the appeal is not likely to be known until later, and there is no certainty how long this will take.
Steenkamp, who turned 18 three months ago, was found guilty of murdering his father Deon, 44, his mother Christel, 43, and 14-year-old sister Marthella on their farm Naauwhoek on Good Friday 2012.
The three died of multiple gunshots to their heads and bodies from firearms that had been removed from the family’s safe.
Don was also found guilty of raping Marthella, as well as defeating the ends of justice.
If the appeal is unsuccessful, the matter can be referred to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.
According to the notice of appeal, the sentence was described as shocking and inappropriate, and Northern Cape Judge President Kgomo faulted in several aspects in returning a guilty verdict.
“The sentence was shocking and inappropriate, it was incorrect to reject the evidence of two witnesses, the aggravating circumstances were overemphasised and evidence in mitigation was not properly considered. The sentence was based on erroneous findings,” the defence argues in papers.
Meanwhile, media reports this weekend surfaced that Steenkamp was writing a book about himself.
The media reports indicate that Salome Maritz, the sister of Marina Steenkamp, who is married to Deon’s Steenkamp’s cousin, Andries, is writing or compiling Steenkamp’s autobiography.
She reportedly regularly visits Steenkamp, to collect pieces he has written about his life.
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