Convicted killer Henri van Breda will know how long he will spend behind bars on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Western Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai pleaded with Van Breda’s defence to provide at least one reason why the accused should be shown mercy.
“In this case I am searching for a human factor to some degree that diminishes the sheer seriousness of the crime. Let him say something that affords me to apply mercy,” said Desai.
The court heard that the killer’s younger sister, Marli van Breda, has to grow up alone with the knowledge that her own brother killed her family.
This and the fact that the 23-year-old has shown no remorse was the crux of the State’s argument in aggravation of sentencing.
Van Breda has been convicted of the brutal axe murders of his parents and older brother as well as the attempted murder of Marli, at the family home in De Zalze, Stellenbosch in January 2015.
He has maintained his innocence, claiming instead that a laughing, axe-wielding attacker, also armed with a knife, was behind the murders.
Senior State prosecutor Susan Galloway said Marli had “miraculously” survived the attacks, as it was Van Breda’s intent to kill.
She said Van Breda’s lengthy conversation with emergency services, despite knowing his severely injured sister was still alive, showed he was “in no hurry to get medical help”.
“There is no remorse, he does not show sympathy for his sister,” she told the court.
“She has to go through life with the knowledge that her brother killed her whole family and tried to kill her. The same brother who said she was treated like a princess.”
Galloway said the State had decided not to hand in a victim impact report after consulting with Marli and her lawyer in the interests of her privacy.
Defence lawyer Piet Botha handed in a report compiled by Nicro (National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders) social worker Ariena Smith.
Smith counselled Van Breda during the 66-day long trial and described him as “open and honest”, although he had been guarded at times and didn’t show emotion.
The report said Van Breda spoke highly of his parents, although his dad was “not good with his emotions”.
He often sought advice from his brother and said Marli was treated as a princess and that he often gave her her way.
There was no history of mental illness in the family, Van Breda did not display delinquent problems as a child, and had no previous convictions.
Botha conceded that his client showed no remorse and could not give Judge Desai a motive for the crimes when pressed to do so.
Galloway said it could not be argued that Henri was immature at the time, or that he was addicted to drugs, and called for the minimum sentence of life to be imposed.
“He executed the attack when his family were most vulnerable after they went to bed,” she said.
Desai said he needed time to consider his sentence and will hand it down on Thursday.
ANA