Rightwing claim will not stop Griekwastad trial: NPA
The trial of a minor accused of murdering Griekwastad farmer Deon Steenkamp and his family will continue next week despite another person confessing to the killings, the NPA said on Thursday.
The boy faces three murder charges, one of rape, and one of defeating the ends of justice for the murder of Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and their daughter, Marthella, 14, at their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012. Marthella was also raped.
Northern Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Mashudu Malabi said they were aware of claims made by an apparent rightwing female farmer Cornelia de Wet in media reports.
The Diamond Fields Advertiser reported that De Wet, a member of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, had confessed to her alleged role in the murders of the Steenkamps.
The report said the 37-year-old De Wet, in custody for possession of explosives and ammunition, alleged the Steenkamp murders were part of a plan to attack white farmers in an attempt to instil fear and incite racial hatred.
The newspaper said the boy’s lawyer and his guardian met De Wet at the Kimberley prison this week.
Malabi said the prosecuting team would nevertheless proceed with the case next week.
The trial was expected to continue throughout November, with additional dates in December if required. The boy was out on bail and in the care of a guardian.
-Sapa