‘Consider Marli when you sentence Henri’
State prosecutor Susan Galloway asked the court to take into account the difficult road ahead for Marli van Breda when sentencing her brother for the murder of their parents and sibling.
Sentencing proceedings in the murder trial of Henri van Breda started in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday, with the court hearing arguments in mitigation and aggravation.
The 23-year-old was found guilty of the murder of his father Martin, mother Teresa, brother Rudi, and the attempted murder of his sister Marli.
Judge Siraj Desai also found van Breda guilty of defeating the ends of justice for tampering with the crime after the axe attack at the family's luxury Stellenbosch home in January 2015.
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“These crimes were committed without conscience, no remorse has been demonstrated by the accused … not even to say for the fact that I am convicted now, ‘I am sorry’,” said Galloway.
According to Galloway, Marli did not submit a victim impact statement after her legal counsel requested that her privacy be protected.
But Galloway pleaded with Desai to take her situation into account when passing down a sentence.
“She is an intelligent young woman who now has to grow up alone knowing that her brother brutally killed her parents and sibling. My Lord, with all due respect, the court must not forget that she has lost her family, she has lost her home, she has lost everything and nothing will ever be the same for her.”
Van Breda’s lawyer, Piet Botha, argued that Henri’s age should be taking into account.
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“He’s still a young man, and by the operation of law he will considered for parole when in he’s 40s ... whatever sentence I impose, he will still be a reasonably young man” responded Judge Desai.
Van Beda is expected to learn his fate on Thursday.