Griekwastad farmer recalls murder
2013-03-19 14:28
Kimberley - A Griekwastad man recalled on Tuesday how
news of a triple murder in the area was broken to him during a family gathering
on his farm.
Farmer Joachim Scholtz testified that the gathering of
about 40 family members were about to light braai fires when his wife said
there was an urgent phone call.
The call was from a businessman in town about a farm
attack on the Steenkamp farm.
The court was hearing evidence in the triple murder trial
of a 16-year-old youth.
He is accused of killing farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his
wife Christel, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14, on the farm Naauwhoek, on 6 April.
Scholtz said in his testimony-in-chief that he grabbed
his cellphone and first called Deon Steenkamp’s number.
He then tried Christel’s cell number but both were not
answering.
Scholtz told the court he then grabbed a torch and drove
to the Naauwhoek farm, which was 22km from his farm, on the opposite side of
Griekwastad.
At the farm he asked policemen on the scene if there were
any survivors, but they did not know.
Asking permission, he and a policeman entered the house
to check whether there were survivors, and found Deon, Christel and Marthella,
already dead.
He was requested later by the police to enter the house
again to inspect the safe in the main bedroom where he found several firearms.
Scholtz also testified that at some stage outside the
house he heard the dogs and went to investigate.
Halfway between the house and the shed he found them
licking blood covered stones.
He told the court he covered the spots with 20l buckets
after removing the dogs.
The trial continues.
- SAPA
