Griekwastad boy pleads not guilty
2013-03-11 11:35
Kimberley - A 16-year-old boy accused of murdering the
Steenkamp family on their farm pleaded not guilty to three murder charges in
the Northern Cape High Court on Monday.
Prosecutor Hannes Cloete put five charges to the boy one by
one.
The boy pleaded not guilty to all. They include a charge of
rape and one of defeating the ends of justice.
The State confirmed that a Child Court was in session, which
was confirmed by the boy's lawyer, Willem Coetzee. He submitted there was no
plea explanation.
Earlier, Judge President Frans Kgomo allowed journalists
from Media 24, Independent Newspapers, Central Media Group, SABC, and Sapa to
be in court during the proceedings.
Cases involving minors are usually held in camera. The boy may
not be identified.
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.
Rape charge
According to Sunday's Rapport newspaper the boy will also
face a charge of raping Marthella. In addition he will face a charge of
defeating the ends of justice for allegedly misleading police by making a false
statement.
It was first reported that on the day of the murders the boy
was in an outside storeroom when he heard shots. He is said to have explained
at the time that he discovered the bodies in the living room of the main house
before driving to the police station in town to report the crimes. Police said
he handed over two firearms which he had found at the scene.
Suspicion later turned to the boy and he was arrested.
The case was last before court in November last year, when
the National Prosecuting Authority's appeal against the teenager's having been
granted bail was dismissed.
The boy had been living with a guardian since he was
released on R5 000 bail in September.
- SAPA
