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Van Breda murders

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Coordinates: 33°58′32″S 18°49′48″E / 33.97564°S 18.82989°E / -33.97564; 18.82989
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Van Breda murders
The DeZalze Golf Estate where the attack took place
LocationStellenbosch, South Africa
Coordinates33°58′32″S 18°49′48″E / 33.97564°S 18.82989°E / -33.97564; 18.82989
DateJanuary 27, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-01-27)
Targetvan Breda family
Attack type
Axe murder
WeaponsAxe
Deaths3
Injured1
PerpetratorHenri van Breda
MotiveUnknown

The Van Breda murders were the killing of three family members and serious injuring of another on January 27, 2015, at a golf estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa. After a year and a half of investigations by the South African police, the chief suspect and youngest son Henri van Breda handed himself over to police in June 2016 and was released on bail the next day. The case has polarized the country's media and gained significant attention since Henri's surrender.[1] Henri van Breda was found guilty of murder, attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice on the 21st of May 2018 by the Western Cape High Court.[2][3][4] He was sentenced to a life sentence for each of the 3 murders, 15 years for attempted murder and 12 months for obstruction of justice. The sentences are to run concurrently.[5]

Murders

On Wednesday, January 27, 2015, Martin van Breda, 54, the managing director of Engel & Völkers in Australia,[6] his wife Teresa, 55, and their son Rudi, 22, were found dead in their home, victims of an axe attack. Their daughter Marli, 16, was in a critical condition having sustained serious head injuries and youngest son Henri, 20, was slightly injured in the incident with only minor lacerations to show. According to court papers he called his girlfriend at 4:42 am which went unanswered and then searched the internet for local emergency numbers and almost 3 hours later Henri made a call to emergency services exclaiming "My ... my family and me were attacked ... by a guy with an axe." The audio recording of this conversation with operators from emergency services was made available by local broadcaster eNCA a few days after the attack.[7][8]

Investigation

Police arrived on scene where emergency services declared van Breda’s parents and brother dead. Marli, who was also attacked with the axe that killed her parents and brother was in a critical condition and rushed to an intensive care unit. Over the course of a few months extensive surgery and further medical treatment saved her life, however she has since been diagnosed with retrograde amnesia and has no recollection of what took place on the evening of the attack.[9] An axe and a knife, both identified as coming from the van Breda family home, were recovered at the scene. It was determined that no forced entry was apparent and the accused was alleged to have tampered with the evidence. According to police Van Breda was dressed in a pair of sleep shorts and white socks covered in blood, the DNA of which was a match for his parents and brother. The court papers read: "It is believed that after the commission of the crimes, the accused tampered with the crime scene, inflicted injuries to his person and supplied false information to the police in order to mislead police as to the true identity of the perpetrator."[8]

Aftermath, rearrest and trial

Marli van Breda spent months undergoing intensive physiotherapy and eventually returned to school but was kept separated from her older brother, both parties residing with family members. Henri continued to plead innocent while local news outlets reported that he may have had a "tik addiction".[10] According to the Sunday Times, police investigated a number of possible motives, including that Henri's allowance may have been cut off by his parents. The newspaper tracked down a man who claimed to have been Henri's drug dealer and who reportedly identified Henri from a photograph saying that he had been a regular customer. Henri has allegedly spent time at an upmarket drug rehabilitation centre in Cape Town.[11] After a year and a half of investigations police called van Breda's lawyer to inform her of her client's imminent arrest unless he handed himself over to police, which he did on June 13, 2016.[12] According to reports, Marli van Breda's legal representative and curator claimed "The news is understandably very distressing to Marli, the family want justice to take its course.”[12]

On June 14, 2016, Henri van Breda appeared in the Stellenbosch magistrates court to face three charges of murder and one of attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice. Bail was set at R100,000 and van Breda was released under the conditions that he report to his local police station regularly and not leave the Western Cape.[13]

A pre-trial hearing was held at the Western Cape High Court in September 2016 and the case was postponed until November as state prosecutor Susan Galloway requested more time to obtain outstanding computer and DNA evidence.[14]

Van Breda and his girlfriend, Danielle Janse Van Rensburg were arrested on 6 September 2016 by Table View police for the possession of cannabis and were granted bail of R1000 and R200 respectively. The case of drug possession was heard on 12 October 2016 at the Cape Town Magistrate's Court and was postponed due to outstanding documentation.[15]

On 4 April 2017, the state's trial against Henri van Breda started in the Western Cape High Court with him entering a not-guilty plea. During testimony describing his recollection of the events, Henri claimed he and the family were attacked by "an axe-wielding black man, wearing dark clothes, gloves and a balaclava-type mask".[16] One month before the trial started, presiding Judge Siraj Desai ruled in favour of an application by media group Media24 to broadcast the trial. However, due to appeals by both the National Prosecuting Authority and the defence, the order was put on hold until the matter has been resolved.[17]

Verdict

On 21 May 2018, the court delivered its verdict, through Judge Desai, finding Henri guilty on 3 counts of murder, 1 count of attempted murder, and defeating the ends of justice. He was immediately taken into custody instead of temporary release until sentencing, in the interest of society, to be transferred to Pollsmoor Prison's hospital section. He was under treatment for epilepsy and depression following the murders.[18]

Sentence

On the 7th of June 2018, Henri van Breda was sentenced to three life terms in prison by Judge Siraj Desai in the Western Cape High Court for the murders of his mother, father and brother; 15 years for attempted murder on his sister and a further 12 months for obstruction of justice.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Audio clip emerges of son describing Stellenbosch axe attack". News24. 2015-01-30. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  2. ^ Mortlock, Monique. "Henri van Breda guilty of murder, attempted murder". Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  3. ^ "WATCH: Henri van Breda guilty of murder". www.enca.com. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  4. ^ "LIVE: Henri van Breda to be kept in hospital section of Pollsmoor until sentencing". News24. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  5. ^ https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/vanbreda-judge-says-attacks-were-committed-with-innate-cruelty-15360812
  6. ^ "Murdered Stellenbosch man had extensive business interests". News24. 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  7. ^ "Surviving son tells how Stellenbosch family murdered with axe". eNCA. 2015-01-31. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  8. ^ a b "Van Breda killings: what happened that night". IOL. 2016-06-15. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  9. ^ "Marli Van Breda discharged, suffers retrograde amnesia". EWN. 2015-06-15. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  10. ^ "Henri van Breda suspected of being a tik addict – report". News24. 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  11. ^ "Tik twist in Stellenbosch axe murder case". Times LIVE. 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  12. ^ a b "Henri van Breda turns himself in over axe killings of his parents and brother". News.com. 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  13. ^ "Axe murder accused Henri van Breda released on bail of R100‚000". Sunday Times. 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  14. ^ "As it happened: Henri van Breda pre-trial postponed". News24. 2016-09-09. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  15. ^ "Van Breda, girlfriend in court for dagga". News24. 2016-10-12. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  16. ^ "Murder-Accused Van Breda Claims He Saw Axe-Wielding Attacker Kill His Dad". Huffington Post. 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
  17. ^ "Van Breda axe murder trial set to begin". News24. 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  18. ^ "Henri van Breda guilty of triple axe murders". News24. 2018-05-21. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
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