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Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think it’s a great idea to get a haircut that makes you look like an axe murderer when you’re on trial for axe murder.

That sure didn’t stop Henri van Breda, appearing in court again yesterday for the State’s closing arguments.

Was he trying to channel some Natural Born Killers vibes? For a comparison:

One more? Fine…

Peas in a pod.

State prosecutor Susan Galloway wasn’t pulling any punches, painting Henri out to be a cold-blooded killer who did nothing to help his dying family.

Here’s News24 reporting from inside the Western Cape High Court:

Henri van Breda did not do anything to help his family after they were axed in their De Zalze home three years ago and instead of helping his younger sister, he “smoked three cigarettes while waiting for her to die”…

Galloway argued on Monday that the attack was premeditated, pointing out that Van Breda would have had to arm himself before making his way to another floor of the house to execute the attack…

She ripped into Van Breda’s testimony, saying he spoke in a superior manner and tried to reason out his decision-making and demeanour.

There was no motive for someone, such as a hitman, to go to the Van Breda home and commit this crime, she argued.

The accused was unable to explain why their luxury home at the centre of the high security De Zalze Golf Estate was chosen; why the attackers went to so much trouble to access the house and not steal anything; left Henri – an eyewitness – virtually unharmed or attack him so differently to the rest of his family, Galloway said.

I’m inclined to agree, Susan, but it’s amazing what lots of money and a jacked up defence can do to drag out a trial.

By now I’m sure you know that the first call Henri made was to his then 16-year-old girlfriend, living in a school hostel, rather than emergency services.

Oh, and then there’s that weird chuckle he does while on the phone to emergency services. You can criticise the woman on the other end of the phone all you like, but that doesn’t change the fact that Henri sounds completely bereft of concern.

Today will see the defence’s Advocate Pieter Botha present his closing arguments, where he will try and throw shade on the State’s version of events.

Good luck with that, Pieter.

[source:news24]