Kimberley – A statement by the teenage accused in the Griekwastad farm murder trial was not in line with evidence found at the scene, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.

“It is not consistent from the evidence at the scene of the crime,” police crime scene and blood spatter expert Captain Marius Joubert said.

Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in Kimberley in the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of murdering Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14.

They were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on 6 April 2012.

Joubert submitted that the blood stains on a T-shirt apparently worn by the boy had multiple transfers of blood marks.

“It is not consistent with one action,” he said.

He told the court there was no sign of movement where the girl was found.

“I reject the paragraph in the [youth’s] statement.”

Joubert concluded his testimony that Marthella Steenkamp defended herself against an attacker outside the house and not inside.

Before Joubert’s evidence-in-chief, the family members present were again warned about the type of evidence to follow.

“It will be one of those days that will not be pleasant,” said prosecutor Hannes Cloete.

Blood trail

Joubert told the court the 14-year-old girl left a trail of blood through the kitchen on her way to the telephone.

He said the blood from the gunshot wound to her chest had flowed down her body, her right leg and arm, and right hand, and had dripped onto her feet, indicating she was upright when that happened.

He submitted to court the drip, flow and smear blood spatters from the back door through the scullery and into the kitchen.

The girl’s DNA was linked to all these spatters.

He showed photographs of where the girl, covered in blood, leaned against the kitchen counter. The blood trail went around the counter to the telephone.

It seemed as if the girl had stopped between the counter and the wooden dining room table, halfway to the phone.

There was a collection of blood spatters on the floor and a bloody handprint on the dining room table.

“The spatters are concentrated in one area. The victim must have stood for a while and left blood to collect,” Joubert said.

The court heard on Monday that Marthella Steenkamp was shot once in the chest and three times in the head.

Referring to a blood smear found near her father Deon Steenkamp, Joubert said it was probably created by a forearm which had moved inwards towards the body.

“Possibly by the victim to make himself comfortable… pulling in [his] arm.”

Joubert will be cross-examined by the youth’s defence team on Thursday.

The trial continues.

– SAPA