Messages on a telephone answering machine told of a Durbanville woman’s desperate attempts to warn her neighbour that intruders had entered his home, the Cape High court heard on Monday.
Durbanville resident Pieter Theron told Judge Siraj Desai he found two messages on his answering machine, from the widow of retired Dutch Reformed Church pastor, Pietie Victor.
Victor was shot dead when he fired shots at escaping intruders who had entered the Theron home at lunchtime on September 19, 2003.
Before the court are Andre Esau, Rashied Naidoo and Riedewaan Cornelius, who have all pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, housebreaking with intent to commit aggravated robbery, and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Theron (66) who works for the Department of Agriculture, told the court he went home unexpectedly at lunch time that day, to fetch a document.
On arrival, he noticed two men jumping into a white car with tinted windows, outside his house.
He said he had hardly switched off the engine of his bakkie, when pastor Victor shouted to him that there was ”very big trouble, in your house”.
Theron said a third man ran out of his house as he [Theron] approached the front door.
Theron told the court: ”I confronted him loudly, asking him what he had been doing in my house, and he said calmly that he was ‘just helping the madam”’.
Theron said this man joined the other two in the white car, while he [Theron] entered the house to hear his wife, Delores, calling him with a hoarse voice.
Theron said: ”As I entered the house, I saw our safe in a black bag in the passage, and I knew there were big problems.
”I ran to the back room where I found my wife lying bound on the floor, and I cut her loose with my penknife. I then heard shots outside, and my wife and I ran to the front door. We saw the white car speed away, with screeching tyres.
”I went to my telephone to call the police, but I could not disengage the answering device, and I had left my mobile telephone at my office.
”I went outside to drive to the police station, and then saw Pastor Victor lying dead in our yard.
”On my return home, I found two messages on the answering device — they were from Mrs Victor, trying to inform my wife that she had seen three men entering our house.”
The hearing continues on Wednesday. – Sapa