Although axe murder suspect Henri van Breda is ready to spill the beans, his lawyer asked for a postponement yesterday.
The murder trial of the 22-year-old kicked off amid high drama in the Western Cape High Court yesterday, where Judge Siraj Desai first allowed, then suspended a media application to have court proceedings streamed live.
Van Breda, accused of killing his parents and older brother in their Stellenbosch home, was swarmed by a pack of reporters from both local and international media as he arrived at court.
Dressed in a smart grey suit, crisp white shirt and grey tie, and his blond hair slicked back, the clean-shaven Van Breda ignored the blinding flashes of the cameras and probing questions of journalists, looking straight ahead as he entered the court.
His defence lawyer, Piet Botha, said his client was “champing at the bit” to tell his version of events, but appealed to Judge Desai for a postponement.
Botha argued they still needed to receive original photographs of the crime scene, as well as additional DNA reports, one of which involved the murder weapon.
He also said the appeal regarding live streaming of court proceedings would have to be heard before the trial starts.
Earlier, Desai granted Media24’s application to livestream proceedings, but with guidelines.
He later suspended the order when both the defence and the State objected.
Senior state prosecutor Susan Galloway said some witnesses feared being recorded.
Media24 is appealing the ruling, which could be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeals in Bloemfontein as early as next week.
Desai did, however, allow the media to take photographs of the accused before and after proceedings.
Van Breda is facing three charges of murder, one of attempted murder, as well as defeating the ends of justice.
HORROR: Dad, mom and eldest son were killed in attack. CREDIT: Supplied
He allegedly killed his millionaire businessman father Martin, his mother Teresa and brother Rudi with a byl at their posh De Zalze Estate home on January 27, 2015.
His sister, Marli, who was 16 years old at the time, survived the attack with severe injuries and suffered memory loss.
Desai postponed the matter to April 24.
Galloway did not object as she also needed time to canvas all her witnesses.
A large media contingent was at court, including an Australian television network.
The family had lived Down Under before and Rudi was studying towards his engineering master’s degree at the University of Melbourne.
Van Breda showed no emotion as he sat in the dock, staring ahead during court proceedings.
His bail of R100 000 was extended.