Van Breda trial postponed

WESTERN Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai yesterday postponed the trial against triple murder accused Henri van Breda to August 7 after the court recess.

Senior State prosecutor Advocate Susan Galloway told the court the State would wrap up its case by August 28.

Earlier, police ballistics expert Captain Candice Brown testified that a stretcher carrying the body of Henri’s father could have caused damage to the 17th step on the landing of the Van Breda home.

Brown was being crossexamined on day 26 of the trial against 22-year-old Henri van Breda, who has been charged with the axe murders of his parents, Martin and Teresa, his brother Rudi, and the attempted murder of his sister, Marli.

Brown, who is attached to the police’s forensic unit, said on Monday that an axe being thrown down the stairs might possibly have caused the damage to the step, but that this was “highly unlikely”.

In Van Breda’s plea explanation, he claims he disarmed an axe-wielding assailant, and threw the axe at him as he fled. – ANA