Carl Pistorius back in court

The culpable homicide trial of Carl Pistorius, brother of murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius, resumes in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

 

Pistorius was involved in an accident on March 8, 2008 that led to the death of Maria Barnard. She was on a motorbike and collided with Pistorius's bakkie. On April 3 the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court heard conflicting versions of the accident. Pistorius' lawyer Kenny Oldwage told the court that the version of events of the State's first witness was not a true reflection of what happened in the crash.

 

At this previous appearance on March 27, State witness and motorbiker Anton Coetzee was asked to recall the accident. "The motorbike was very close to the back of the bakkie when the bakkie suddenly swerved to the right," he said. The court heard the road where the accident happened was in a semi-agricultural area. There were often domestic animals on the road.

 

Coetzee said he and other bikers were participating in a "Poker-run" the day of the collision. He testified there was nothing Barnard could have done to avoid hitting the back of the

bakkie. She was thrown forward five to 10 metres. Oldwage accused Coetzee of being selective in giving evidence, pre-empting, and being dishonest. He read out Pistorius's version of the accident and said he would testify that he was driving next to a Volkswagen Fox when he heard a noise coming from the undercarriage of his car. 

 

He then observed a motorcycle was airborne and to the right of his bakkie. Pistorius would testify that he applied brakes and "safely" brought his vehicle to a standstill. "My client denies in the strongest terms that he drove his vehicle in a reckless or negligent manner," Oldwage said. Oldwage added that the driver of the Volkswagen Fox would testify that Barnard was driving at a high speed.