Griekwastad trial hears of T-shirt
Considerable force was used to tear a T-shirt found on the scene of the Griekwastad farm murders last year, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.
The court was hearing evidence in trial of the 17-year-old boy accused of the murders of Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and daughter Marthella, 14. They were shot on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.
The teenager is also facing charges of rape and defeating the ends of justice. The State called Lt-Col Gerhard Vermeulen of the scientific analysis unit of the police’s forensic department to the stand.
He testified about a blue T-shirt belonging to the boy found at the crime scene. The shirt had stretch damage at the shoulders.
Vermeulen told the court the damage was most probably caused by a strong pull downwards along the body of the wearer.
"It tells me the same power was used to both sides. In broad terms I would say the damage on both sides was done at the same time."
This could not have been caused by someone being pushed away from the wearer, he said.
-Sapa