'Graphic' photos of Griekwastad scene

2013-03-11 14:43

(Emile Hendricks)

Kimberley - The relatives of the Griekwastad farm murder victims were warned about graphic crime scene photos that could be shown in the Northern Cape High Court on Monday.

Prosecutor Hannes Cloete gave the warning during testimony by the State’s first witness, in the trial of the 16-year-old boy accused of the triple murder.

Crime scene expert Colonel Sietze Albertse explained new crime scene technology using a camera that could take 360° photographs. It is used with computer technology to reconstruct a crime scene in three dimensions.

Albertse explained that the software made it easier to get a whole picture of the crime scene, to better demonstrate it. Evidence gathered could be shown on a computer, television, or projected onto a screen.

The software allowed for evidence that had been photographed to be displayed.

It was at this point that the prosecutor brought it to the court’s attention that graphic evidence might be shown.

Northern Cape Judge Frans Kgomo adjourned the court for a short while for the family to decide whether they wanted to be present or not.

The teenager was arrested for the murders of Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14.

They were shot on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on 6 April 2012.

The trial continues.

- SAPA