Van Bredas had emergency numbers, says cop
EMERGENCY numbers were affixed to the Van Breda fridge when the first officer on the scene arrived on the morning the family were allegedly attacked by an axe-wielding intruder, the Western Cape High Court heard this week.
Sergeant Adrian Kleynhans testified as the first State witness at the start of the trial of Henri van Breda, one of two surviving family members. His sister Marli was severely injured but recovered.
Henri is charged with the murders of his father Martin, mother Theresa and brother Rudi. He is also charged with attempted murder for the attack on Marli, and with defeating the ends of justice. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Kleynhans told the court it was about 7am on January 27, 2015 when he arrived at De Zalze Estate outside Stellenbosch in response to an emergency call.
He said he arrived in full uniform in a marked police vehicle but was denied entry. Kleynhans said he was eventually given a map of the estate and escorted by security to the Van Breda home.
According to Kleynhans, Henri walked out wearing blood-stained white socks, smelt of alcohol and was visibly emotional.
Kleynhans testified thatnone of the appliances were missing and he saw no sign of housebreaking.
He said he saw a bloodstained axe on the stairs leading to the bedrooms. He found two women upstairs, one still alive. In one of the bedrooms, he found two men.
Henri’s version, as relayed in his plea, was that his family were attacked by an intruder. Rudi was hacked first, then Martin. Henri said he wrestled with the attacker and “was surprised by how easily I was able to disarm him”.
He said he did not know any emergency numbers and used his phone to search for emergency services. This was after he lost consciousness from a fall after wrestling with the attacker. The case continues on Tuesday.