State prosecutor punches holes in Henri’s version

Van Breda takes court through re-enactment

IF Henri van Breda is fabricating a narrative around a phantom attacker in his home‚ the state prosecutor is not buying it – and his own nerves are not really coping. In the Cape Town High Court yesterday‚ Van Breda – who stands accused of axing his parents and brother to death – was asked by prosecutor Susan Galloway to re-enact the alleged attack on him that took place after members of his family had been slaughtered.

He claims a black man in a balaclava was behind the attacks‚ and that he was the one who disarmed the “laughing” assailant.

An official of the court‚ judged to be of the same build as the alleged attacker described by Van Breda‚ was asked to play the man’s part.

With smooth choreography‚ Van Breda directed the other “actor”‚ giving precise details of spaces‚ directions of arm twists‚ and when and how he should move his head to the left or right.

It was during this alleged scuffle in the family home in January 2015 that Van Breda says he acquired cuts on his upper torso.

After the re-enactment‚ a clearly discombobulated Van Breda told Judge Siraj Desai he needed to go and “splash some water on his face” – but not before Galloway had poured cold water over his story.

“What I find difficult to believe is that this person who has just now viciously attacked at least your brother and your father is now coming towards you to attack you,” she said.

“You say he is still armed with the same axe and he is laughing similarly to when he attacked your father.”

Somehow‚ though‚ Van Breda easily disarms the man and manages to chase him out of the house.

Van Breda said he was also “surprised by how easily I was able to take the axe out of his hand”.

Galloway pointed out: “He doesn’t seem to come at you in any way with any strength. He could easily come and stab you in the heart in that first movement.”

Van Breda said: “He was trying his best to hurt me.”

Galloway responded: “And yet all he manages to inflict on you are the wounds that are described as very superficial?”

Van Breda said he had been fighting for his life, yet he sustained no defensive wounds.

When asked about his wounds being self-inflicted‚ since they were described as classic textbook images of such‚ he said: “I recall that evidence and refute it. I didn’t self-inflict any harm to myself.”

Galloway also grilled him for claiming he pulled a knife from his flesh with the hand in which he allegedly held the axe‚ rather than the other hand which‚ according to his detailed description‚ would have been empty at that time.

She moved on to his claims of chasing the attacker out the house.

Why had he not helped? Why had he not warned the two women in the house‚ his mother Teresa and sister Marli?

“I was scared,” he said. “I didn’t think about it.”

Later‚ after the women had been attacked too‚ Galloway said Van Breda “suddenly finds the courage to follow [his] attacker”.

She also poked holes in a timeline that in one statement had him seeing his mother and sister who had been attacked lying outside the room‚ and then not seeing them at all in another version.

He explained this difference by saying: “I saw them lying there‚ but I didn’t process it.”

Galloway asked him: “Why is it not in your statement to the police that you caught a glimpse of your mom and sister before following your attacker?”

According to Van Breda‚ this was a mistake made by the police officer who took down his statement.

But Galloway wanted to know why‚ if this was how it played out‚ neither he nor the attacker fell over Marli’s feet‚ which were ostensibly right outside the bedroom door.

The trial continues.