Man tells court he killed dad
2004-04-22 00:08
Annelie Muller
Queenstown - An emotional scene was played out in the High Court here on Wednesday when a young man admitted to the murder of his father and a vicious attack on his mother.
Shortly after this, he was consoled in court by his mother and family.
After this dramatic disclosure in the murder trial, Lloyd Westerberg, 20, gripped the hand of his mother, Jeanette, after admitting to the murder on the family farm, Mandalay, in the Queenstown district on May 24 last year.
Westerberg was also supported by his sister, with whom he shared a joke as he stood in the dock before Judge Dayalin Chetty.
No evidence was led and Westerberg didn't contest the facts as laid out in the charge sheet.
According to the charge sheet, Westerberg put a cushion over his father's face before shooting him twice in the chest. Roland Gregory Westerberg had been sleeping at the time.
Tried to flee in family car
Westerberg's mother apparently saw her son standing over his father's body shortly after the shooting.
She ran outside, but Westerberg shot her in the arm. He then hit her over the head and in the face with his father's revolver.
According to the State she was badly injured and also lost three teeth in the attack.
After the attack, she tried to flee in the family car, but Westerberg pulled her out and hit her again. He also throttled her. She lost consciousness and was left for dead.
Unbeknown to each other, both mother and son hid in farm labourers' cottages that night.
Mrs Westerberg was found the following morning and police were called. Westerberg was arrested later that day.
Smoked a bit of dagga
The attack on his parents came after a shopping trip to Queenstown with his mother. Westerberg also visited his sister after buying groceries.
However, during the visit, his mother refused to allow him to visit his girlfriend.
Mother and son returned to the farm about 23:00.
Westerberg later allegedly smoked a small amount of dagga in his room while his father slept and his mother watched TV.
After this, he killed his father.
- Die Burger