Cape Town - The trial for murdered mom Zarah Jane Hector resumed in the Western Cape High Court on Monday after more than three months.
Defence lawyers for suspects Renaldo van Rooyen, 34, and 26-year-old Tawfeeq Ebrahim stated they did not want to complete their cross-examination of forensic analyst Warrant Officer Blanche Stubbs as they wanted to get their own DNA expert.
As he entered the dock, Ebrahim’s family blew kisses at him and whispered encouraging messages.
None of Van Rooyen’s family was at court.
The court heard that swabs were taken from Zarah’s parents and her brother, Brendan Hector, to compare to her DNA.
“Reference samples were taken from the parents and the deceased’s brother. The reference samples of her parents could not be used as it did not produce a usable profile.
“Her brother’s profile was usable and that is what was used for the comparison and testing,” Stubbs testified.
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Van Rooyen’s lawyer, Advocate Peter Burgess, said he did not wish to finish cross-examining Stubbs until the defence has received DNA results from their own experts.
“I would like to reserve my right to fully cross-examine the witness after we got our independent DNA expert reports,” Burgess submitted.
Ebrahim’s lawyer, Advocate Wimpie Strauss, agreed with him.
On Monday fingerprint expert Frederick Schoeman was called by the State as he was the one who positively identified 33-year-old Zarah after prints were lifted from her decomposing body.
Zarah Jane Hector was found dead in March 2016
“I received the inquiry regarding a victim identification. I compared a previous SAP75 fingerprint form (previous convictions) and compared it to the fingerprint received. A normal fingerprint takes seven points to correspond, however, in this case I got 12 points, although three points were doubtful.
“No two persons’ fingerprints are the same and I have no doubt in my mind the fingerprint is that of Zarah Jane Hector,” Schoeman testified.
Zara Hector was last seen driver this BMW Z3
Van Rooyen and Ebrahim are accused of bludgeoning the mother of two to death with a hammer in March 2016 in Van Rooyen’s garage.
She allegedly owed them drug money.
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Zarah was last seen alive by Van Rooyen’s mother on the morning of 15 March 2016 in her home.
Her body was found 10 days later, dumped on a farm in Klein Drakenstein.
The court previously heard the accused went to Matroosfontein to try and sell the car Zarah was driving. The car, a BMW Z3, belonged to her boyfriend, Mark Kleinsmith.
The accused have both pleaded not guilty to murder and are blaming each other for killing Zarah.
The matter was postponed until 12 March.