Griekwastad murder trial continues
The murder trial of a 16-year-old boy accused of killing a Griekwastad family will continue in the Northern Cape High Court on Thursday.
The youth is accused of murdering Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14 on the farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on April 6, 2012.
On Wednesday the court heard forensic investigators were humans and could also make mistakes due to their working hours and trauma experienced at crime scenes.
"I am human. At the crime scene that night a family was massacred, revisiting the scene brought the memories back," said Northern Cape forensic investigator Lieutenant Andre McAnda.
McAnda, in cross-examination by the boy's legal counsel, acknowledged that some mistakes had been made with the serial numbers of exhibits and evidence gathered.
"So we do not know in fact, not from this, whether the forensic lab received -- [what w]as stated on the document," said defence counsel Willem Coetzee.
McAnda testified that he "cut and pasted" from written reports and that some mistakes had appeared in the note-taking of exhibit plastic bags.
"I agreed it was a important document, but did not check it properly. I did this after we returned from Griekwastad, late at night."
However, Coetzee was not happy with the explanation.
"How many mistakes do you make? We will get to the others."
McAnda testified that the forensic investigation at the Naauwhoek farm outside Griekwastad was only completed by 1am on April 17 last year.
Coetzee questioned the investigator's different handling procedures of forensic evidence gathered.
The 16-year-old boy pleaded not guilty to the three murder charges.
Prosecutor Hannes Cloete read out five charges to the boy. He pleaded not guilty to all. They include a charge of rape and one of defeating the ends of justice.
The boy submitted no plea explanation.
Cases involving minors are usually held in camera, but several media houses have asked the court to cover the case, which granted the requests.
The boy may not be identified.
The cross-examination of McAnda's testimony-in-chief was expected to continue on Thursday.
- Sapa