In a twist of events in the Van Breda, triple axe murder trial, Advocate Pieter Botha confirmed to the court today that their final witness will be the accused, Henri van Breda.
Henri was visibly nervous today, tapping his fingers and he appeared flushed in the face. The defence team voiced concern about the live stream broadcast of the trial. Breda suffers from a pronounced stutter and speech impediment, which according to Botha, is particularly pronounced when under pressure. They fear the livestream may further aggravate their client’s condition. Botha also stated that his client’s demeanour on the stand may negatively impact on his testimony, and therefore requested a halt to the livestream when his client testifies.
Judge Siraj Desai said he fully understands the request and its complexities. He also said that live streaming is unobstrusive, as has been shown with prior witnesses on the stand. The court will take time to consider the defence’s appeal before the trial resumes tomorrow morning at 10am.
Photography Justin Williams / HM Images